


seven

by domniall



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angels, Attentionseeking!Dan, Blood, Demons, Graphic entity to human transformations, Graphic injuries, Happy endings who?, Heaven and Hell, M/M, Other, Religion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 13:07:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 24,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14521227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/domniall/pseuds/domniall
Summary: Upon entering your church, the devil won't always appear out of place. Remember, he was once an angel, and still remembers how to sing.





	seven

**Author's Note:**

> if you can't tell, i went to catholic school 
> 
> thank you so much to cait for listening to me scream about this fucking fic i'm so sorry for putting u thru that 
> 
> i wouldn't read this fic if ur afraid of the wrath of like god or stuff like that bc well..... she's out there 
> 
> angel reference for ur sanity : 
> 
> Lucifer: Pride  
> Beezlebub: Envy  
> Satan: Wrath  
> Abaddon: Sloth  
> Mammon: Greed  
> Belphegor: Gluttony  
> Asmodeus: Lust

"The ancient serpent, who is called devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, he was thrown down to earth and his angels were thrown down with him." _Revelation 12:9 ___

__

__If you've never felt the feeling of being completely and totally weightless, that's what dying feels like._ _

__If you thought it would be fast, instantly, and rushing like a waterfall motion, it's more like a lazy river at your favorite waterpark. You drift past memories, emotions, sounds and thoughts, gazing up at your life and your mistakes all at once yet so slowly. Like an hour long episode._ _

__If you thought dying meant the suffering had ended, that the problems were over with, that the waves of too much thought and not enough help was over, you were wrong yet again. Well, in this instance._ _

__The wave of familiarity didn't come and the bright light never shown over anything. Everything went black instead, and everything felt hot and hard and pointy._ _

__Looking into the void makes your eyes hurt. What eyes? And the constant ring of the entire universe plays around you, shaking and vibrating and you think your brain might explode from the sheer feeling of it. How can you hear?_ _

__You feel everything and nothing all at once. Your soul, your being, whatever it is, can't do anything else but collapse in on itself like a dark hole and you slowly become part of the void. It consumes you and there's nothing that can stop it._ _

__It stopped, though. That vibrating slowed down enough that it didn't rattle his brain anymore and he could lift, what he thought was, his head and look up towards the void that hurt his eyes so much. It still hurt, burning holes in the back of his skull it felt like, as he looked through to see an orb of blackness with light emitting from behind it._ _

__Dan sensed evil, he sensed hurt, loss, emptiness and sadness. They consume him now, bring him down level with the orb he once saw. It feels like this has been going on forever. For eternity._ _

__"My child. My sweet, beautiful Dan." The deep voice could be heard through every pore in Dan's body and soul. It was as loud as the ringing in his ears just eons ago._ _

__He couldn't respond, though. He didn't have anything but this feeling coursing through him._ _

__"No need to respond. No need to talk. I can hear you. I can-" The orb breathed in. Or, sounded like it did. "-sense you. I've missed you."_ _

__Who was this? Where was he? He's Dan. Right? It felt like something different, though. He never had been Dan. But he was Dan? He was Dan. Right?_ _

__"No worries, no worries." The sound rang again. "You will be answered, Asmodeus."_ _

__All at once, it was too dark and too light._ _

__All the planets and all the spirits aligned at once and shot through Dan's soul, piercing every piece and bit of him to separate him into tiny fragments, tiny molecules, smaller than ever thought and he was spreading wide across the cosmos all combining back into one tiny hole, slurping and condensing._ _

__He couldn't breathe, he didn't have to._ _

__The world was inside of him and he was inside of it. There was nothing to search for and nothing was searching for him in the dark abyss he found himself in. He knew where he was, who he was, what he was to do._ _

__Names, dates, answers. Everything all at once._ _

__All the power yet nowhere near his brethren who stood before him, arching over him. Their hot breath graced over his bare body and turn his skin a light pink color. His skin, the same color it was when he graced the human world, is warm to touch._ _

__Mammon mentions it first, speaking through his protruding glistening white teeth. "It's soft."_ _

__"No shit." Dan was grinning, though, his human like lips curling up into the smirk he knew once before._ _

__"Look who decided to join the show." Lucifer mumbled, knocking his staff down into the ground, rumbling going throughout the entire precipice they rested on._ _

__"Did'ya miss looking at me? Is that why you thought about me non-stop since the beginning of time?" Dan hissed out, his eyes locking. "What'dya say, Lucy? Wanna take a ride?"_ _

__The older being snorted, steam coming from his larger nostrils. "I'm too good for this. Your puny body has nothing of value to make me better than I am."_ _

__"Fuck, stop talking like you're goddamn William Shakespeare." Before Dan could continue, another being appeared, coming around the corner slowly. All three stopped, Mammon stopped stroking across Dan's skin to pause long enough to see Belphegor, slopping along towards them._ _

__"No, continue!" The larger being said, indulging himself among the others. "I love a good fight. Especially with this one." His eyes darted back towards Dan, twinkling under the gleam of his own jewelry._ _

__Dan smirked. "My favorite has arrived. You can all leave now." Mammon, his hand retracting from Dan, snorts out and shoves at his arm._ _

__Dan glanced back and with a simple smirk, he spoke lightly. "You can have me later, sweetheart, I promise. Know you're greedy."_ _

__With a loud screech that even Lucifer wasn't ready for, Mammon flew himself off and up, magma dripping from his mouth and spreading across everything and everybody. He was gone in an instant, though, his trail of smoke giving Dan the time to make a dramatic cough to which Belphegor touched on his chest, frowning._ _

__"Are you alright? He didn't hurt you sweet, did he?"_ _

__As fast as Mammon was gone, the brooding noise and vibration that Dan once knew came back to him. His human shaped eyes popped from the sockets he mimicked up and the sheer force and pressure of the blackness that came before them made his synthetic skin melt across the form he had taken._ _

__The form of light came down striking against the ground and it rumbled again, Lucifer and Belphegor taking steps back with shudders as Dan tried to shed the dying skin off himself. Looking up with nothing but red flesh across his form, he saw the large red eyes staring back at him, looking through his entire being._ _

__"Are you the one who makes Mammon cry with greed, young Asmodeus?" The red eyes blink at him and suddenly they're gone and the vibrating stops. Along with it, Dan is able to reform, growing the soft pink skin across himself, forming legs and arms, his cock hanging between his legs._ _

__When he looks up again, the blonde tuff of hair is what he sees before a hand that looks similar to his is coming and bracing for his throat, squeezing it hard._ _

__"I asked you a question, Asmodeus." The eyes are still red but smaller, shaped like Dan's. He lets out a sign as he is lifted by his neck, the human form below him. From his peripheral vison, he can see Lucifer and Belphegor acting as if they do not see what is in front of them._ _

__"I did." Dan spoke. "He was being a brat."_ _

__"And you're a bigger one. So what?" The hand only tightened and Dan was reaching, scratching up along the arms that held him up. The gushed out, blood flowing from them and dripping across the floor but the only thing the older, blonder man did was chuckle outwardly._ _

__"Fuck you, I'm not a brat. I'm the most loveable one here. The most fuckable one, too."_ _

__Without any warning, Dan was dropped to the floor. He hit hard, and it rocked him a bit too much, taking the breath out of him for a moment. Satan, still laughing, backing himself away from Dan and wished himself up back into the air, disappearing through the thin of it and he was gone as fast and as booming as he left. Lucifer followed quickly, whisking himself up, his staff the last thing to fade into thin air._ _

__Dan watched as both of them, bigger and stronger, than him, faded into nothing, back to their lairs._ _

__Belphegor, hard from the indulgence of the fight and waddling back towards Dan, was shouting at him. "Are you alright?! How dare he hurt the cutest one here!"_ _

__The words and the want made Dan perk up again, and he glanced back around to the slightly blue being coming towards him. He was skinner now, with longer legs. He looked delectable and Dan wanted nothing more than to be wanted by him._ _

__"I'm fine. Come, take me to my room, please?" And with that, Dan was up in arms and out of sight along with Belphegor, back to his room._ _

__\--_ _

__After the fifth go with Dan, Belphegor had passed out, laying in their filth and fluids. And suddenly Dan was lonely again, sad with his hair pushed up over his head and arms resting across his chest as he listened to the larger man sleep and snore next to him._ _

__Knowing Joshua, Belphegor's human's name, he'll sleep for days. Abaddon is always near._ _

__Knowing so much about these beings takes so much of Dan's power but it always works. It always gets him what he wants, and what he wants is attention. He wants men, women, everybody and all drooling over him until they can't take it anymore._ _

__Speaking of Abaddon, Dan hasn't seen him in such a long time._ _

__Slipping out of the bed quietly, he vanishes quickly and appears next to the bed of Abaddon, resting peacefully. He sleeps soundly, arms tucked under the covers and head resting on a pillow made of the softest materials known to angels; people's down time._ _

__Easily, Dan slips himself over top of the man, his thin legs bracketing his sleeping, still body. Dan lowers his hands too, fingers gently working themselves up over his arms through the covers and finally touches on his shoulders and takes a hold of them, squeezing._ _

__For a moment, Abaddon stirs but returns to normal sleeping breath, and Dan makes his move, leaning in and pressing his soft lips against those of Abaddon. He kisses him and again squeezing at his shoulders, getting the man below him to wake up slowly._ _

__As Dan continues to move his lips, Abaddon stirs again and with waking, he slowly kisses back, tasting the sweet taste of lust above him._ _

__"Asmodeus." He mumbles, and Dan hums, and instead of responding verbally, he does so by dipping is tongue alongside Abaddon's, chasing his own tongue around before sliding them together as their lips nipped at each other's._ _

__Dan retracted first, getting high on the sound of his name coming from Abaddon's lips. He wanted it again, but this time he had to edge it out._ _

__"Did you miss me, Michael?" Dan spoke his human form's name quietly against his lips before poking his tongue out again to lick across it lightly._ _

__Michael, taking a sharp intake, not used to hearing it here, shrugs slightly. "I guess." He spoke and Dan let out a soft growl deep from in his chest, letting it play out across Michael's skin._ _

__"Say you missed me." He says, his sharpened nails digging against the bare skin of the body below him with his voice sounding mechanical and deep, and feeling like fire against skin._ _

__"Fuck! Okay, I missed you. Dan, I missed you." Abaddon hisses out, shoving Dan so his nails retract out of the muscles of his shoulders. Dan falls back against Abaddon's legs, and stumbles a little, catching himself before his lips are smirking his devlish smirk._ _

__"You always knew I liked it rough." Dan remarks and attaches himself back to Abaddon, kissing and sucking against his mouth. The form below him has already healed the wounds that were just spread across his shoulders and it's a good thing because he reaches up, cupping at Dan's hips and squeezing while Dan is struggling to push the blankets down off of his body._ _

__Dan's hunger for attention and pleasure rocks through him, and it's more painful than anything he's felt before. It sets him off and he turns into the animal he truly is, growling and biting and keening for every touch, kiss, and breath that Abaddon points his way._ _

__Abaddon pants into Dan's mouth as he breaks the kiss and Dan inhales, grinding his hips down against where he can feel Abaddon growing harder underneath him._ _

__"Yes, please." Dan begs against the other man's lips while his whole body shudders in need of this attention, pleading with every inch of himself. He continues kissing passionately and eagerly, hands rubbing and touching all across the man's chest._ _

__He thinks it's going to happen. Abaddon grips at his ass, squeezing the fake flesh to bring him closer and he moans out erotically, letting his head fall back as the pressure against his cock is Abaddon's abdomen. He arch's his back so he can buck his hips against the man's solid form, his body shuddering from the friction it causes against the underside of his cock._ _

__However, as Dan moves, working himself up more and more, Abaddon's motions slow. Eagerly, Dan moves to keep him moving in time but the energy in the other man slowly but surely fades and he's leaning back against his bed, breathless while looking up towards Dan._ _

__The pain that grows in Dan makes him wince and he's looking down at the body under him, glaring slightly._ _

__"What's wrong?" He asks, seething._ _

__Abaddon shakes his head. "Don't want it. Want to sleep more, now." He speaks before yawning out._ _

__Dan, in nature, must respect consent. He, like the other six, do._ _

__Dan doesn't have to respect feelings, though._ _

__Quickly, he's up off the bed and screaming as loud as he can, in midair. It vibrates, not as strong as Satan's, but loud enough to feel the whole basin shake. The room shakes too and Abaddon falls from his bed and quickly crawls towards the door but is caught by Dan's fit and is hit across the back of his head with a book and then another._ _

__Dan's spinning now, his force throwing papers, books, candles, chairs across the room and spinning them around only to press forward, making them fly across the room to smash against the stone walls. He screeches out and makes sure to hit another book across Abaddon's head before whisking himself out to the main hallway._ _

__Walking down, naked as always, he raises his hands to pictures and lights that line the walls and bring them down, smashing them along the stone floors, spilling fire across the carpets that ensue behind him. From the other end, he sees him, standing there, watching him._ _

__For added effect, he screeches out again, his jaw opening and extending wide baring his teeth. The noises help only a bit with the pain that fills him. He feels on fire, inside and out. He needs it, the attention, the commitment, the lust._ _

__"None of you want me!" He screams out finally, making eye contact with the blond at the other end of the hallway. He smashes another painting, picking it up with force and flinging it across the hallway to hit another, making them both fall to the ground. "You're all pieces of shit!"_ _

__"You're all fucking ugly, too! You all make me fucking sick! I'm the one you want and you don't even fucking know it! Fuck all of you!" He finishes his sentence and the fires consume him and the rest of the hallway, burning at the oils of the paintings. The rug leads up to where the blond stands and it burns up his shoes first, his pants staining with soot only to go up in flames a moment later._ _

__Dan lets himself fall to the ground, throwing his hands into the fire. He burns, his hair going first and it's gone in an instant. He feels the fake skin melting again so he screams out again. In pain of himself._ _

__Like a child throwing a temper tantrum, he kicks, punches and screams until he can't anymore. Until he's ashes in the fire along with the blond's pants._ _

__He's nothing for a moment, or an eon, however long it takes, and he's there again, in his real form._ _

__The fire was out and they stand in rubble, him and the blond in front of him. Dan's skin returns, pink and soft and Satan reaches out to touch it._ _

__"Are you alright?" He asks, softly._ _

__Dan glances down to the charred hand touching on his arm. "Why would you care?" Dan spits._ _

__When he looks up again, the blond is perfect again. His clothes, his skin. Spotless and white._ _

__"I care about you, Dan." He says softly, speaking low. His blue eyes twinkle from the sparks that fly around them, now exposed to the outside elements of the magma and void that surrounds them._ _

__Dan sighs out slowly, his eyes going soft. "Good." He says quietly before he's taking a few steps closer and he falls into his perfectly sculpted arms, clinging to the older and stronger form in front of him. He can feel the swirl of darkness around him subside as the blonde's arms surround him in a hug, squeezing him against his broad chest._ _

__Dan frowns into his shoulder, feeling small against the larger form. His hand comes up and runs through Dan's hairs, letting them twirl around his large fingers. Dan loves having his curls stroked, loves having his hair played with, loves having people lust over his curls and his dimples and his sweet eyes. He leans into the touch only to smile._ _

__"Would you like to go back to my lair?"_ _

__"Please, Damien." Dan whispers and with that, he's gone, lifted from the ground and they're suddenly in the void again._ _

__He can see candles flicker, though and he can smell flesh around. Behind him, he feels the warm touch of Damien. A touch he would know anywhere._ _

__It calms him, but he's still unsure. It worries him how dark it is, how gentle he's being._ _

__"You need not be afraid." He says from the void. "It will only hurt a little bit."_ _

__The voice comes quickly and hits Dan in the face metaphorically. He gasps out and turns around, searching for the body where that voice came from but there's nothing there. He's in the nowhere, and he can't fucking believe it._ _

__His body separates and reforms again, atoms, molecules, busting open and breaking apart only to reform, making Dan's brain shatter and form, shatter and form._ _

__It hurts but it's nothing near what Dan feels of the need of attention. It hurts because the betrayal, the thing he should have seen coming._ _

__\--_ _

__Being born again into the world you just left feels rather strange when you're not a baby, or a child._ _

__The shocks, stings and bruises all hurt more as you come to, alone in an alley way._ _

__It's raining. It's 19 degrees out. You're naked. You're in England. North. Manchester._ _

__You still know everything, but you can't tell anybody that you know everything. People don't like that. There's only one being who should know everything and well, she doesn't really like you._ _

__Luckily it's 3:23 am local time and the street seems pretty dead._ _

__Dan peeks out again, glancing back and forth between the streets and makes sure no oncoming cars are coming before he quickly darts out from the alleyway across the street. His hands cover his cock, ducking himself down in so if he is seen, nobody can see his face to turn him in as the crazy night nudist._ _

__He ran towards the building he knew was there and let himself in, whisking himself through ethereal power into the window. He grabs what he can; pants, boxers, a couple hoodies, and a pair of shoes. Slipping into the clothes once his fake skin dries is harder than he thought, trying to make the extra-large t-shirt work on his thinner frame._ _

__He catches himself in the mirror and he looks ridiculous. The jeans are tighter around his ankles with the same slimming feature going up the entire leg. The t-shirt is black but already distressed, tiny holes poking out to expose the edgy collarbones he has. He has another pair of the same jeans in black and another random t-shirt and instead of overthinking it, he slips the hoodie over his head and stuffs the pockets with the underwear and socks he grabbed before whisking him back out under the rain._ _

__As he walks down the wet sidewalk, he remembers why he's here in the first place and the flames within him flare up, mumbling a 'fuck you' under his breath and sending it directly towards Satan's desk, the one he sits at after using most of his power to send otherlings through the dimensions into the human world._ _

__Dan focuses on finding somewhere to stay, glancing around towards the apartments that line the roads he walks._ _

__Sometimes, beneath all the flowery beliefs and romanticized religion of the world, there is someone willing enough to host a monster like Dan._ _

__They either believe too little, fear the worst, or couldn't care less._ _

__And Dan doesn't think about the Satanists, and the Wiccans. He wouldn't dare house himself with a person who worships that son of a bitch._ _

__Wiccans are fine. Too wrapped up in things, though. Some of them pray to him, asking for sex, fertility, and attractiveness. He's not sure what to tell them, since he has no powers useful to human entities, but he's honored they look to him for guidance about getting fucked._ _

__Past that, there are people who just give the sense of nothing. They aren't for or against anything, they don't have opinions about what is before or after death. They don't care._ _

__Dan likes them the most. He likes to slither into their little safe houses, their bedrooms, and make them learn the worst about the world they know nothing of. He loves hosting them, their energy, their numbness makes him warm with gratification. Their apparent apathy to life, now and in eternity with Dan in hell, gets him off._ _

__The rain is beating down harder and the pain seeps deeper in through his body, realizing that nobody wants to host him in the near vicinity causes the flames to engulf the rest of his patience._ _

__In the distance, he can see the arches of shining lighting beaming all around to cover he immediate ground. The florescent lights inside that fill the space outside the shop suggest it's open so Dan makes his way towards it._ _

__Getting closer, the clearer the sign is to him and it's a 24-hour McDonalds._ _

__Better than nothing, he thinks. A place to stay dry until he can find the one._ _

__Ducking inside, he shakes out his semi-wet hair and glances around to the seemingly empty dining room he walks into. Muffled music plays over the speakers as he walks deeper into the shop and comes across the counter where three un-enthusiastic looking teenagers stand on their phones._ _

__The one girl, with red dye streaked across her sharp black cut looks up and quickly shoves her phone into the back pocket of her pants._ _

__"Hi, how can I help you?" Her thick rimmed eyeliner makes the eyes pop out, they're green. She smells like fear and forced interest in religion. She wears a cross necklace that hangs lower, barely seeable as it drops down into her uniform shirt._ _

__The flames burn on, aching in Dan's abdomen. "Uh.. yeah, you're open 24-hours right? I just… need some place to be while this rain is still coming down… my girlfriend kicked me out."_ _

__Dan's nose wrinkles falsely and holds up his wet clothes in his hands, shrugging a little. The way she frowns and lets her head tilt to the side gives away all the intentions she has._ _

__"Yeah! That's okay. I'm sorry that happened. Girls can be real bitches sometimes." She flicks her hair back across her shoulder and brings it up to give a coy smile to him. "Thank god I'm not like the other girls."_ _

__Dan chuckles, genuinely, because all humans are the same to him. Energy using sacks of membranes and mucus. Harvestable energy, though._ _

__"Yeah? What kind of girl are you?" He lets the tip of his tongue run along the inside of his bottom lip, poking it out slightly as he runs his eyes down over her again. He could care less about her, doesn't need her, but what's one treat?_ _

__"Cassie!" A loud voice calls from the back. Her manner changed quickly, and she looked back towards where the sound came from. She was a bit shocked, her fingers gripping the sides of the counter top. When Dan looks up, time stops._ _

__Usually, it happens less dramatically._ _

__Usually, Dan can sense it before this. Maybe the fumes of the dead, burning beef flesh or the extremely high salt content clouded his ability to sense past the front counter._ _

__The voice came from a taller kid. The black hair that poked out from underneath the ridiculous hat he was made to wear seemed long and it was cut to shape his larger head. He was lanky, too, arms dangling next to his sides while he stood looking at the girl. Dan doesn't even remember her name, he's so enamored and perplexed on how he almost let this chance slip through his fingers._ _

__"I told you to get on the fries! Some of them are already burnt!" He was expressing anger but it was a farce, his voice just urgent to her._ _

__She squeaked and with a glance to Dan, she was shuffling past the man who seemed to be in charge here._ _

__He blinked for a moment and shook his head before taking the few steps up to where Dan stood, his hands taking a hold of the register._ _

__"Hi, sorry about that. She's, kind of new." The kid in front of Dan smiled the goofiest looking thing in the world. "What can I get you?"_ _

__Dan needed to sit down. He really wanted to reach out and touch this boy's white skin, dig his claws into it and show how much fun this will be._ _

__"I mean… what do you recommend…" Dan pretended to not be able to read the nametag on the kids shirt, bending in a little to see the four little letters in white. "Phil?"_ _

__Phil, raised his eyebrows but laughed out only to lean himself in and turn his head around to look back up at the glowing screens behind him. "I mean… it's McDonalds. It's all crap."_ _

__Fair enough. "I'll take uh… 4?" Dan shrugged to Phil. The kid regained his bad posture behind the counter and went tapping on the buttons he was trained to press when somebody ordered._ _

__"Alright! A number 4 foooorrr…" Phil led on. Dan looked at him._ _

__"Your name?"_ _

__"Oh, right, yeah, Dan." The kid fucking chuckled like it was the funniest thing he's ever heard. Simple humans._ _

__"Okay, cool, that'll be 3.25. Notes or card?" Phil looks up again, his eyes bleeding through Dan's entire body. This'll be too easy._ _

__"Okay, so that's the problem." Dan says. Phil leans in closer, his eyebrows raising. "My girlfriend… she kicked me out. I don't have any money."_ _

__The mix of emotions that come across Phil's face make Dan want to grin. He really wish he could read minds._ _

__"Oh. Well, I really can't let you have food for free. I mean, if it was up to me, I wouldn't care. But like, the cameras-"_ _

__"But it is up to you, Phil." Dan says. He's calm, breathing slowly. He puts on a soft voice for the boy across him._ _

__"Isn't there like, a discount for family or friends, anyways? Think of it as a discount." Dan's lips curl up into his little grin, biting at his bottom lip with his two front teeth. "We're friends, right? Y'know, Dan and Phil, McDonald's buddies."_ _

__"Yeah, we're friends." Phil grins a little, nodding. "I mean… there isn't really. A discount. Only for workers. We can eat one meal for free each day."_ _

__Dan lets his eyes light up. "Just think it's for you! Like, you pick it out, and you just come give it to me. I'll be sitting over in the corner." Dan's head lulls back to nod towards the darker corner of the dining room before winking at Phil and he turns himself to head that way._ _

__He can hear the breath Phil takes and the buttons pressing on the register behind him as he makes his way to the table._ _

__He doesn't know how he can hear anything over the screaming coming from Phil. Nonchalance, melancholy, and no set of direct beliefs in the general vicinity around him. His soul smells like maple syrup to Dan, and he can't wait to have the sweetest lick._ _

__\--_ _

__Dan learns that Phil works the midnight shift because he hates mornings and sunlight. He mentions about being a vampire but impossible, those died out around 700 hundred years ago but he goes a long with it, nodding and dipping his fries into tomato paste and eating them, the salt stinging all the way through his core._ _

__The droning about himself goes on and on and Dan feels like he's been alive for less time than this, but the grey area of this boy keeps driving him back, the sensation of hosting coming up through to the back of his metaphorical throat and nearly choking him. He shoves the burnt cow flesh into his mouth to stop the words he wants to say, the questions he wants to ask._ _

__Phil has a will to live. He wants to be a weatherman, live in London, have four dogs. However, that's all he knows. He has the energy, he has the passion, but that's all he has. He has no beliefs in or out of religion. He doesn't care if people believe or don't believe. He knows he really doesn't care. Nobody knows what happens to people after they die._ _

__Except Dan. He knows, built it up with his two hands, tore it down in the matter of seconds, lives in the middle of the perfect little storm for eternity. Somehow, it feels shorter than listening to this kid talk._ _

__"So like, what about you?" Phil says quietly, his teeth scraping across the corner of his mouth. "What do you like?"_ _

__Dan lets his wrist go limp as he raises his head to look at Phil, fry still in his hand. "I like art."_ _

__"Really? What kind? My brother is an art nerd." Phil grins and Dan didn't actually think about his answer._ _

__"I like William Shakespeare." He says before eating another fry, chomping on it loudly._ _

__Phil pauses and his eyebrows go up. "He's… a play write."_ _

__Dan's taken back. "And that isn't art? His skill and education at the time he was alive was never seen before, and created the world of using words for more than writing about bloody fucking God for once. He was talented, and his plays were works of art in many eyes. Art doesn't have to be just a painting, or a drawing."_ _

__Phil looks dumbfounded for a moment, shaking his head. "No!, no. You're… right. I never really thought about it like that. Art is more than people perceive it to be."_ _

__Dan drops his fries and smirks fully now, letting out a quiet giggle. "You're cute when you get flustered."_ _

__This only made Phil go deeper shade of pink, his cheeks blotching up. He opened his mouth only to close it, trying to process words with nothing coming out._ _

__"S'okay. No need to say it, you think I'm cute too." Dan leans himself in, closing the gap made by their chair placement and he leaves a soft, warm kiss against the red cheek of Phil's and he's up quickly off the chair with the boxes from his food in his hands._ _

__Dan thinks he can hear the cogs whirring in Phil's brain as he comes back once his things are thrown away. The black haired boy looks to Dan with such confusion and question but his lovely mind doesn't care about it. All he knows is that he likes it, and Dan likes that._ _

__"Who are you?" Phil finally says, licking his dry lips moist again. Dan hums as he watches the motion and shrugs._ _

__"Some dumb fuck who got thrown out and ended up talking to some cute guy in McDonalds."_ _

__It's easy to change the subject when humans are so simple. Tell them they're cute, that they're funny, that you want them and they're putty you can do whatever you please with. Dan doesn't even need a back story._ _

__"Stop it." Phil breathes out, hiding his smile behind the hand that comes up to brush the fringe from his eyes. "You can like… I dunno, stay with me? My couch is free. It turns into a bed!"_ _

__Bingo._ _

__Dan makes his face light up, his eyes going light while he smiles towards the unknowing host in front of him. "Really? You would… you'd do that for me?"_ _

__"Like you said, we're friends, right?" Phil asked, referring back to earlier up at the counter._ _

__Dan could only giggle out, his teeth catching his lip with a slow little nod towards him._ _

__Phil can only grin, his cheeks blushing that same scarlet color. "Good."_ _

__\--_ _

__They're up on the top floor of a dimly lit building and Phil's fumbling with his keys. Dan can hear them jangle around, can hear his soft 'shit' and his intake of breath when he finds the right one and slots it in, moving the gears and unlocking the door._ _

__Dan already knows what Phil's place will look like, can see it across his face. The living room furniture will be mismatched but nice. He'll have a flat screen in the corner with a bunch of gaming devices set up and nothing in the fridge but milk for his cereal._ _

__He's seen a lot of them before, surprisingly._ _

__Not surprisingly, he's right as they walk in and there's a lamp on waiting for Phil to return home. Dan follows in and glances around the room, his eyes darting all over._ _

__Phil takes his shoes off and shoves them to the corner so Dan follows, mimicking Phil so he'll like him more. Humans say that shit works._ _

__When Phil looks up, he's talking quietly. "So, uh, make yourself at home. If you wanna watch any movies the remote is on the coffee table. Oh, I can take those!"_ _

__Phil nods to Dan's hands and he forgot he was holding a bunch of wet clothes. Dan shrugs a little and hands over the soaking materials, rubbing his hands somewhat dry on his damp jeans._ _

__"Do you want these too?" Dan asks and he's stripping with ease, the hoodie and shirt coming off first. Phil stops in his tracks and lets his mouth gape open for a moment, watching this stranger strip in his living room._ _

__Next come the jeans, peeling them off one leg at a time. When they're off, Dan goes for the band of the boxers he stole, nudity no problem with him. However, Phil is quick to stop him._ _

__"Uhm! I think I have an extra pair of.. pajama pants. Yeah, that you could borrow so you can. Dry your boxers?" Phil clearly couldn't speak and Dan was grinning, beaming with Phil's reaction._ _

__"Sure, if you think I'm worth the trouble of getting them." Dan retracted his hands and let them sit on his hips, making Phil laugh nervously._ _

__"You are. Let me just…" He never finished his sentence because he was turning around and heading for the kitchen. He went for the dryer and opened the door so he could shove Dan's wet clothes in. Leaving the door open, he signaled to Dan he would be right back._ _

__Dan waited, his eyes wondering across the walls of Phil's place. They were bare except for the wall inside the kitchen that was lined with hand drawn pictures. Some of them were better than others, but they all had a key element in each of them; a boy with black hair and blue eyes was in every one._ _

__Some of the pictures had the boy naked riding on unicorns while the others were him laying across lions._ _

__Dan snorts. Lions._ _

__He looks up at the noise Phil makes coming down the hallway with checkered plaid pants and a yellow t-shirt in hand. He offers them up to Dan and he takes them with a smile._ _

__"So, are you the one in these pictures?" Dan asks before he does as before and goes to take his boxers off._ _

__Phil lets out a soft squeak and covers his eyes as Dan strips down, turning himself enough to fling the boxers into the dryer behind him._ _

__Dan's kind of mad Phil didn't want to look and the fire gurgles inside of him, sending shots of pain through him. He just wants some goddamn attention. However, he makes it pass as he listens out to hear Phil speak over his own internal screams of pain._ _

__"Yeah. They're… from my fans, actually. I make Youtube videos."_ _

__Dan's eyebrows wrinkle together and he pulls the pants up on himself, letting them settle on his hips._ _

__"What's Youtube?" He asks before flinging the shirt over his head, tugging it down on him. "Dryers ready."_ _

__Phil gasps and lets his eyes go, his hands going out in front of him in disbelief. "You don't know what Youtube is? It's like, a super popular website. I have over 1,000 subscribers! That's a lot of people!"_ _

__Dan shrugs to him with his hands out. "Sorry, I just like art. And cute boys with black hair."_ _

__Phil's full on sputtering now. His tongue doesn't work to make words, and he's looking between Dan and the space above him to avoid any eye contact._ _

__"You're… just, so weird. And you can't just like, say stuff like that!" Phil finally gets out, his eyes bugging and voice an octave higher. It's working, Dan thinks._ _

__He smiles back to the nervous wreck in front of him. "I can when it's true. What are you gonna do about it, huh?"_ _

__He lets his voice lower towards the end of his sentence along with letting himself inch closer to where Phil stands, heart beating a little fast. Dan can practically hear it._ _

__"I'm.. gonna." He takes a breath. "I'm going to.. do something."_ _

__"Sounds like a threat." Dan remarks. "Why don't you do me?"_ _

__It's all over, the initial set up, and he's in for the kill now._ _

__Dan's going straight for Phil's head, hands coming and taking a grip on the sweaty, greasy work shirt he has on. He pulls him closer, getting in his face and getting his lips to Phil's. It's a hard kiss, and he might have actually knocked the wind out of the poor kid, but when he feels the breath and messy movements of a return kiss, he gets into it._ _

__Dan's eyes are closed and his mouth is open, taking a lick inside Phil's bottom lip and it tastes sweet, something Dan wants more of. It's as intoxicating as he thought it would be and it's just the base kiss._ _

__The more time passes, the more he feels Phil growing in confidence. His tongue comes out next, brushing a feel against Dan's and Dan can't help but feel giddy, a giggle bubbling up somewhere from his existence as nothing more than a being of sex. Of this._ _

__Phil's mouth pulls away though, and the moment is gone and Dan really might just kill this kid right here right now._ _

__"Are you.." Phil starts. He's breathless and Dan's still got a death grip on his shirt, ready to throw him across the room. "Are you like, a prostitute or something?"_ _

__His eyes gleam with pure curiosity. Dan's roll with annoyance. "No, I'm not."_ _

__He gives a tug on Phil's shirt, though, and brings him closer, the idea sparking in his head. "I can be, though, if that's what you like."_ _

__The smirk is back, his tongue poking out through his teeth. Phil's jaw drops a little. "No! I mean.. uh, not really, no. I just.." He stammers and it's so hard listening to him try and make sentences but Dan thinks he might as well be patient._ _

__"I just thought.. you were gonna like, make me pay for this.." He motions with his hand, pointing at the both of them quickly. "I just don't really have any cash… but if it's real.."_ _

__Dan purrs, his hands letting go of Phil's shirt so they could press flat against his chest and slide up, touching along his neck. "It's real, babe."_ _

__"Oh.."_ _

__\--_ _

__Pressed back against the headboard of his smaller bed, Dan's hands grip his knuckles white along the metal railing. His head was pressed back too, neck extended with groans rumbling from the space all while Phil touched over him, hands finding different points on Dan's body to squeeze and claw at._ _

__Phil liked that, letting out soft little growls and digging his dull nails against the soft skin laid across Dan's hips and sides. It's the first Dan's had, but it's cute enough, and makes his skin prickle so he'll ignore the oddity in favor of Phil's undivided attention and appreciation._ _

__There's a lot of it. Phil doesn't know where to go next over Dan, and it's amazing how intoxicating the succumbing of a human soul is. Dan's almost high, can't do or say anything other than urge him for more, whine when he doesn't get what he wants, or moan out in pleasure. The teasing he gets across his nipples and down over his lower stomach, dipping into the tiny little hairs that start there and lead down against the cock between his thighs just adds more fuel to the fire inside of Dan but also Phil._ _

__Dan can feel it, the sin engulfing the boy below him. He, of course, feels nothing other than the own strain of his cock that tents in his Sonic the Hedgehog underwear, but Dan feels it and it powers him indefinitely, swirling directly into the essence of what he really is; a monster who feeds off exactly this, and nothing less._ _

__"Fuck, just touch me." Dan's whining again because he's kind of tired of the way of how slow this goes, his brain getting bored with the thought of Phil wanting to be passionate someway. Dan doesn't feel that, nor does he care about what Phil feels, and he just really wants to get off and seal this deal._ _

__"Yeah.." Phil breathes out and instead of doing what Dan thinks he'll do, he goes beyond and touches the flat of his tongue over the tip of Dan's cock, leaving it there only to swirl it around messily. His hand takes a grip of the base too, and holds it firmly while his tongue continues to move over the sensitive skin, tasting all over.  
The moan Dan lets out is guttural and his hips arch into the touch Phil has on him, fingers and knuckles nearly breaking the railing with the sheer force he has to put to keep him here. _ _

__"Yes.." he gets out, the only coherent thing that he can say while inside of him the fire rages on, choirs of screams ring in his ear with the taste of pleasure and sin all mixed into one on Dan's tongue. Licking his lips, Dan's hips buck up a little, making Phil jerk slightly. The younger boy looks up, mouth stopping but he doesn't get to say what he was going for because Dan's whining again, already annoyed with Phil's mouth not on him._ _

__Phi gets the idea, though, and lowers his mouth back around Dan's slick cock, sucking him. The keening noises from Dan get louder and he's biting back a smirk, his hips rocking against Phil's lips, eagerly wanting him to take more. He gets his wish, too, as Phil gives in and drops his mouth lower, lapping his tongue eagerly now long the underside with his fist moving up and down around the base where his lips don't quite reach. It's not the first cock he's sucked, but he's not a pro._ _

__Dan knows this, knows everything with just one touch of Phil. Knows his dreams, his passions, his wants and needs. He needs to really cum right now, and it's all because of Dan. All because of the pretty boy right below him, begging for the attention Phil would give anybody._ _

__Dan's giggling, his head pressing back while he fucks up into the roof of Phil's mouth. He pants heavily while fingers reach and tug on sheets and duvet around him and he's so blissfully content, and it feels so good, he doesn't really want to leave this human world so badly after all. Phil's mouth is soft like velvet and he makes sweet little noises that make his dick even harder._ _

__Phil's focus though, runs through different stages. He focuses on Dan, sucking and slurping around his cock but he also presses his hips down along against the bed, letting his own cock rut along the bed to relive pressure. The moan he makes around Dan should feel good, but the boy tuts out softly as he realizes Phil isn't only for him anymore and he also strives for his own orgasm. Greed seeps in the cracks of the walls and stinks up the place._ _

__It's annoying, that even in this world, the others but into Dan's fun._ _

__It doesn't last, though, because Dan is good at what he does, and it's the one thing he knows how to do so very well. Make people want him._ _

__He whines out, hands pushing down against Phil's shoulder. He huffs out heavily and nearly throws a full tantrum that he has to do this himself._ _

__Phil gets the idea when he's pushed and retracts from Dan, licking his lips as he pulls off. At the same moment, in the middle of Phil's conscious, buried deep within his own morals, his emotions, settled right between the gray area that clouds the space, a voice whispers faintly. It takes only another go for it to be screaming, loud and banging around inside of his brain, saying nothing more than what he needs to do at this very moment._ _

__Dan can see it in his eyes, the way the color changes to a deeper blue and the aura around his head turns red with lust, arms extending on either side of him now. Phil pushes himself up and over Dan's body, shielding him and covering up what Phil might think for the moment belongs to him._ _

__Inside, Dan shoves out everybody but himself. It's nobody but Him and his perfect little playground. The nest where his sick little fantasies can grow, and bloom, and create his perfect little minion._ _

__Phil's eyes never leave his, and it burns right through Dan._ _

__Sometimes, in the midst of everything, he forgets about all this. How it feels, how it looks. The way they're so easily malleable; so easily entertained._ _

__"I want to fuck you." Phil says, his voice low, with a hint of gruff behind it. His eyes twinkle with the fire behind them. The fire Dan placed there, that'll be there forever._ _

__"I thought you'd never say so!" Dan smirks wide, is his own dark eyes flicking up to see his beautiful creation._ _

__He, however, never forgets how fun it really is._ _

__\--_ _

__Dan's face is in the pillow, biting down on it as his hips press back into the hold Phil has on his hips. He tries to arch into the touch of Phil's cock against his rim, but the little shit is teasing him and it only makes Dan angry. He huffs into the pillow again before kicking his leg back, catching part of Phil's thigh._ _

__Phil lets out a soft 'ow' in response to the kick but what it brings for Dan is more than he could ever ask for._ _

__The smack against his bare ass makes him yelp out, jaw dropping slightly with drool seeping down into the material below him. He glances back though, a grinning Phil looking down over him and he feels the heat wave rush over him again._ _

__"Do it again, and there will be more where that came from." Phil says low, and Dan barely hears it, he's so full of sin already. He's nearly busting from the touch and the dirty words. So much already has him stimulated, it's a wonder he's not come already and left._ _

__He remembers, why, though, when he feels the dull ache that settles in in his lower body and nearly splits him open with little to no movement at all._ _

__"God! Fuck, yes." The word stings on his tongue but it doesn't compare to the way Phil goes ever so slowly, sinking into him painfully.. Dan feels ever centimeter that moves and it's so intoxicating to be broken apart like this, teeth biting and gnawing in a puddle of his own drool while fingers scrape at his palms, hissing._ _

__Phil on the other end moans out, hands gripping for life at the boy below him. He takes hold and never lets Dan steer away from him, pushing deep as he can go until he bottoms out. His whole body flushes red while his brain runs at 100 miles an hour, feeling nothing but everything all at once. He's so wrapped up in this boy, this strange person he met just hours ago, and he knows he'd rather be nowhere else than right here in this moment._ _

__Especially so when he starts to pull out, the drag of Dan's hole squeezing around his length. He pulls his hips from him though, pulling himself out completely only to press back in, pushing harder and a bit faster, already working up movement. He doesn't ask if it's too much or if anything wrong because Dan hasn't shut up with noises and yelps, and the air is full of them and they're sweet, like hearing music for the first time._ _

__Phil jerks his hips forward, knocking Dan forward with him to get a response and Dan gives it to him, whining out his name low while arching his back up. Dan pushes himself up just enough to return a small buck of his hips, rutting back against Phil and grinding a little before letting his arms go, the top half of his body collapsing back into the bed._ _

__Phil laughs at that, while Dan hums to himself and nuzzles into the bed. The smaller boy glances back with a sweet grin._ _

__"You're so sexy." Phil says breathily, pulling his hips away quick only to return the thrust with the same force, tugging Dan back against him. He whimpers but leans his head back, eyes closed and a big grin across his face._ _

__"I know…" He says into the air and Phil laughs. He then smacks again on Dan's ass, making him whimper again. It's all in good measure, because Phil begins thrusting now, hips angled down against Dan's hips pushed up in the air._ _

__It pushes the air out of Dan somehow because he's breathless, panting into the pillow. The force Phil uses only gets harder and faster the more he fucks into Dan and it's delicious. The feeling, the ache, the sticky sweat, the sound of Phil fucking into him. All of it, all the attention and the want and the disgrace, it fuels Dan's being. He feels so alive being fucked open by this pretty human, and he loves the way he grabs for him and tugs, scrapes and bites._ _

__Phil gets rougher the longer he goes, hips slapping and bumping together as he picks up the pace. His little grunts are cute and it makes Dan giddy with excitement about this. His hips lose rhythm though and Dan notices, wants this to never end. He notices how Phil takes imitative to chase his own orgasm, too. Honestly, how dare he?_ _

__"Ooh, Daddy." Dan says softly and at first, he thinks Phil doesn't hear it because the movements continue. He really doesn't want to be annoyed right now, and he really just wants all eyes on him._ _

__"Da-" Dan nearly says again before Phil's behind him, pressing his chest up against his back. Their hips stay arched in the air but he grinds more while thrusting, moving towards Dan more. He gasps a little, too, when he feels Phil's warm hand touching at his own cock, fingertips running along the underside to graze up over the tip._ _

__"Yeah, baby, m'here." Phil says into Dan's neck before kissing at the skin. He nudges against it and continues to mumble soft words, nipping lightly as his mouth follows._ _

__"Yeah." He grins, rolling his hips back along Phil's, the limit of what energy he'll actually put into this. It makes Phil grunt and his hips pound harder, grinding and thrusting deeper as fast as he can._ _

__Dan squeals at the sensation along with Phil's hand on him, fingers curling quickly around his cock to stroke it. Phil lets his thumb curl over to catch the slit where pre-cum leaks more with each buck inside of him. The stimulation of both ends plus the endless energy of feeding off Phil makes the process come quicker than he thought, his body ready and bubbling over already._ _

__"I'm.. coming. Oh, fuck, I'm coming." Dan babbles as he arches into it, the touch, the burning he feels inside and out. The energy around him, Phil's energy, is consuming him, and the sin is sealed in stone._ _

__Dan comes, spilling across Phil's legs, his own thighs and the bed below them._ _

__It feels like being released from all the prisons at once, every part of Dan is free and nothing is holding him back anymore._ _

__Phil moans out, and keeps fucking him through the orgasm, through the string of moans and cusses that Dan lets out only to bite on the pillow, groaning from is throat._ _

__The shudders and noises from the boy below plus the pressure around him is enough for Phil to do the same. He only takes a few more thrusts inside of Dan and he feels the own build up inside of himself and without any second thought, he comes hard._ _

__The first thing out of his mouth is Dan's name followed by incoherent moans and curses, all strung together as Dan feels himself being filled up. It's dirty, and it makes him shiver with how nice it feels to be full of something else other than fire and rage and come._ _

__Phil collapses half on the bed and half on Dan, his arm curling around the smaller's waist. Dan moves with him, body rolling onto his side so Phil can press up behind him with his chest to his back, his soft cock now out but still pressed against his hole._ _

__It's weird and he's still kind of stuck against Phil's chest but it could be worse. At least he doesn't smell like Belphegor._ _

__"Ugh.." He grumbles out and Dan's eyebrows go up, glancing behind him. "I'm so tired… that was…" He tires to finish his sentence but he laughs breathlessly, his face nuzzling up along the back of Dan's neck._ _

__He grimaces a little but his hand comes and lets his fingers walk across Phil's hand that rests on his stomach. "Well finish the statement."_ _

__With another laugh, Phil speaks again. "Sorry, sorry. That was… fantastic. You're so good." Phil raises his head up slightly, lulling it forward. It looks like it's too heavy for him to hold it up and Dan grins at him._ _

__"I know." Dan says softly. Phil smiles a goofy, tired smile to him. "How are you not tired? I'm so beat…"_ _

__Dan giggles and watches as Phil's head falls back against the pillow, his eyes closed with the goofy smile on his face. He licks across his lips. "Need to sleep. Can have more fun in the morning."_ _

__Dan, rolls his eyes, but puts on a smile. "Totally." He lies and lets his head lay back, pretending to get tired. After a few moments of quiet, he says a soft "Night."_ _

__Listening for a reply, he only hears Phil snoring quietly. He wrinkles his nose and lays his head back in annoyance, looking up over the ceiling._ _

__\--_ _

__The clock on the table reads 4:23 so Dan thinks it's time for him to leave. He's waited around two hours for Phil to move away and slip into his REM cycle so that he wouldn't be easy to wake and by the sounds of the snores, Dan's sure to be fine._ _

__He slips carefully out of the bed, though, just to be extra careful and remembers he doesn't need to use feet on the creaky hardwood floors. Leaving the clothes he discarded that didn't belong to him, he made it through down the hallway to originally where this whole situation began._ _

__He glances around and remembers how this sweet little story started and the fullness inside of himself twinkles with energy and a need for more, no matter how many times._ _

__He goes into the kitchen, walking now, and bends down to quietly open the dryer where his clothes are. He fishes out the underwear and pants and slips them both on first before getting a shirt and the hoodie on himself again. When he turns around to find a bag for the rest of his clothes in the dark room, he's nearly blinded by what he sees across the ways standing in Phil's living room._ _

__"Oh fuck you!" He hisses out as he sees the being coming in to vision and she shines brighter than he ever remembers these encounters._ _

__Her hair is long, reaching just past below the skirt of armor she has rested on her hips. Her chest bares the same type of metal with a plate protecting her upper body and chest. The long silk hair is held back with a metal headband that bares a crest on it with a dove. The chest plate has the same crest and it matches the shield that's carried over her shoulder up against her back. At her feet is nothing but her shadow, the lowest part of her that can be seen is her ankles. Smoke and mist billows out from there, and she stands with her arms crossed in front of her._ _

__"Peace be with you, Asmodeus. Our Creator has sent me to the poor boy whom you are leaving right now to aid him in finding peace within his heart and soul and to seek forgiveness for the hurtful sin he has committed against our Creator"_ _

__"Kiss my ass, Uriel." Dan spits out, turning himself around and going back to his original plan, searching around for a bag. He finds nothing more than some wrappers thrown across the counter tops and a box of opened Shreddies._ _

__Her form comes closer as he ignores her, and she watches him, making sure to also keep her focus on the positive and heavenly energy she puts off with her presence here. It's nearly suffocating Dan, but he wouldn't admit to it._ _

__"Asmodeus, you cannot run forever. Child, you can find salvation to with our Creator and Savior. You too can live in eternal peace. Damnation will not reign forever as our Creator's power and love will outshine the hatred and pain you cause. You can begin the passage. The cross over." Her voice is soft and therapeutic. It sounds like your favorite song being played for eternity and you never get tired of it._ _

__"Fuck you, and fuck your eternal salvation." Dan hisses out._ _

__He turns to her and lets his eyes flame up, his body morphing and turning quickly, breaking free of the humanly shell he must take here. It didn't last long with the long claws come out and curling, his hands nearly reaching for her form and snatching right from the air. He growls out with steam coming from his nostrils, breathing heavily as she watches his evil take form right in front of her._ _

__She doesn't blink, not once. She watches this horrid monster, Dan, evolve right in front of her eyes and she does nothing but reach behind her, the shining getting brighter. It's nearly blinding again and Dan can now see why, the sword once hidden by her hair now front and center and beaming throughout the entire room._ _

__It burns at his skin from the energy it produces, nothing Dan could muster up, but he would never go down without a fight._ _

__"I'm not joining you." His mechanical, deep voice comes out again, the growling low._ _

__"Your Creator needs you." The sword looks massive, and would take the weight of a thousand men to carry, but she swings it past her, between the both of them, easily and holds it now up over her head, ready to strike down over top of him._ _

__His breath, fire from his lungs, blows out through his nostrils and mouth opening._ _

__"I don't want him. I'm more than happy with the way his little creations fuck me and take care of me only to never return to him again." Dan smirks, it spreading out wide across his face up to meet with the corner of his eyes. "He's mine now, and there's nothing you can do about it, Uriel."_ _

__Deep inside of him, the longer he stays like this in this form, the faster he dies. The energy he just took from Phil is depleting quickly with the broken piece of his soul fizzing out quickly buried deep within the folds of his body._ _

__"That is not true." She says softly. "He is still a child of God, a sinner, but a child. He can still be made whole again."_ _

__"Shut UP!" Dan screetches and the sword flies in front of his face quickly. He moves back and past quick, barely making it out of the way of her strike down against him._ _

__Her demeanor, and softness doesn't truly show how powerful she is. The Holy Spirit, woven into the threads of her being, give her more than she would ever need to defeat Dan and his shitty body._ _

__His shitty little body, that can barely function without some sort of assistance from humans, of all things. The attention, the lust, the fire, once it's all gone, so is Dan. While he has nothing left, she lives on._ _

__Dan, has a choice, though. As does every single thing there ever has been and ever will be._ _

__"You can go no further." Her voice is steady and firm, looking him in the eyes. Her confidence fills the room with that magic heavenly mumbo jumbo dust that makes the place stink for days._ _

__"I can." Dan says, rearing back. He sets himself down, talons touching on the kitchen floor. He stands with what energy he has left. "I have a choice, y'know? I think you people forget about free will and my choice."_ _

__For once, she looks shocked. Dan's onto something._ _

__"You chose your choice." She states politely. She tries to regain herself. "That's as far as your will can go."_ _

__"I'm still here, aren't I?" If she had blinked, she'd miss it. Dan's skin, the soft pink over laid his body again in an instant. The dark, black burnt flesh now was flush with soft pinks and sweet warm colors. He had hair, brown and curly. The very tip of the curl that rests on his forehead flicks up. "I still could make the right choice."_ _

__Baffled, her jaw drops open slightly but she says nothing. She blinks twice, and her hair flows, the own wind her movement makes making it billow as the hand that held the sword brings it back to the place before, connecting it on her back._ _

__"How can you refuse me my choice?" Dan's voice is soft, almost begging. His eyes well up, like he's nearly in tears. They're brown and big, and jut out just the slightest as he makes himself get a bit teary._ _

__"I…" She starts, then stops. Making eye contact, she speaks again, saying exactly what needs to be said. "I cannot do that. You are still a creature of God's creation."_ _

__Dan, naked as ever, cocks his him so he can rest himself against the piece of counter top that juts out. His feet make soft smacking noises against the tiles as he shifts himself and his arms cross over his bare chest. He smiles. "Exactly. Toodles!"_ _

__Baffled and confused, she takes a few steps back, looking over him. Breathing in sharply, she glances around and blinks away what seems to be tears of frustration._ _

__"This isn't over. I will be back!" She says loud and clear before vanishing as quick as she came, the smoke following up into a singularity and then nothing._ _

__"Sure." Dan mocks into the dark living room._ _

__He aches all over and is more tired than before he got here which isn't ideal. He's not sure how long the rest of the power will last, probably a good 6 hours so he needs to move on quickly and begin his search for his next host._ _

__It's kind of sad since Phil had a nice dick._ _

__He gathers his clothes, though, tucking them into a bag he finds under the sink. He finishes getting dressed in the same clothes he had on before he was interrupted and nearly gets the shoes on and over past the living room and out the door when he hears creaks and noises from the hallway._ _

__He's ready for fucking Michael or Gabriel the cucks to come through so he stands up straight, eyes peeled for the light to blind him when he sees the exact opposite._ _

__"Dan?"_ _

__Phil's bare foot in a pair of black boxers resting low on his lips. His hair is ruffled up, sticking up in random places and the frown on his face reaches nearly to his chin. "Are you leaving?"_ _

__"Yeah, uh.. sorry. I really didn't want to over stay my welcome, y'know." No excuses and no fear, Dan is glad it's no dumb angel after him. Just a dumb human. "I thought you'd be cool?"_ _

__Phil pauses and the frown only grows larger. "Oh.." He hums out. His long limbs cross over his stomach and hold there for a moment. "You haven't over stayed… I was hoping to like, I dunno. Wake up and make you pancakes. Maybe a round two in the shower…"_ _

__His shoulder gave a little shrug as he smiled a little through the frown, trying to get some empathy._ _

__Dan has no emotions, so it doesn't work, but the suggestion of round two sounds more appealing than searching for another host at 5am in the rain so Dan quickly weighs his options and decides to stay._ _

__Phil still has good energy to harvest. The sex isn't bad, either._ _

__"I mean… round two sounds pretty good." Dan perks up, letting his shoulders straighten out. "I guess I have to say."_ _

__Phil's frown quickly turns and he shows his teeth while giving a big sleepy smile, pushing the hair from his eyes to watch as Dan tosses his bag back down on the floor. "You don't have to stay, but I'm glad you are."_ _

__"Good." Dan chuckles, simply loving when people appreciate his presence. More people should be like Phil, he thinks._ _

__\--_ _

__They sleep in Phil's bed with Phil spooning Dan from behind. While it's not the most comfortable thing, Phil's hand rests nicely on Dan's lower stomach and he can reach perfectly to touch on his cock, so it's not the worst thing Dan's been in._ _

__That's even how he wakes him up, and Dan can't complain. He jerks his hips into Phil's big warm hand while he hears a string of praises into his ear, from being called a princess to the cutest boy._ _

__Each touch, each word, they all add up and they all give exactly what Dan needs. They anchor him and shoot right through to his core and send the fires blazing, roaring loud and proud._ _

__The pieces that Dan sucks and takes from Phil, they make him glow, even physically. His skin looks plumper and feels soft. His stomach area grows softer with love handles forming slowly. In the mirror, the more he stays here, the more he looks like one of them and it feels nice._ _

__When Dan comes over Phil's hands, he just takes one more piece, one more addition to his growing collection of mementos from Phil Lester. He has a trophy case, somewhere in his mind, and it's lined proudly with this pretty boy's life. With his soul._ _

__Dan moans for Phil but it's only for the moment. In a day, in a week, it'll be somebody else, some other name. Another body in a bed. Phil's name will rack up with the endless count of others._ _

__Still, he has his spot on the shelf. Right now, it's the one Dan can remember._ _

__Phil, unknowing, lets Dan drift off back to sleep while he gets himself up and goes to make pancakes in the kitchen for the both of them._ _

__Dan, a bit tuckered out finally, spreads himself out over the bed and stretches, muscles flexing and aching now stretched as he relaxes into the bed under him. It's kind of boring already, with no eyes on him anymore, but he feels his strength grow with every moment Phil talks to him, does something for him, basically breathes for him._ _

__He's not sure how long he can stay, a few days tops before the no need for food or normal human bodily functions worry Phil._ _

__Dan thinks he falls asleep, something he can manage to mimic, because he's jerking into consciousness at the noise of Phil calling for him and beckoning him into the kitchen. Tiredly he follows, hoping for a bit more fun at least for now._ _

__\--_ _

__He makes it to the kitchen and sits down to eat the pancakes, not really needing them persay. He eats one and a half of them and claims he's full to give some illusion that he actually needs any of this garbage. Phil takes it, though, eating the rest of the 5 he cooked for himself._ _

__When Dan thinks he's safe to make an excuse to leave, or to allude to leaving this quickly suffocating apartment, Phil is suggesting something completely off the road map of Dan's plans._ _

__"So like, I forgot that I'm supposed to go visit my brother in London today." Phil spoke, chewing the last pieces of his cake in the corner of his mouth. He reaches to take a gulp of his orange juice while his eyes look to Dan who gives him an unamused look back._ _

__"Okay?" Dan says before glancing to look over his nails, picking at them. It's a habit that he's picked up across the many centuries of interacting with human forms. It's something they do when they're uninterested or bored. Dan is currently both._ _

__"So, I'm gonna be leaving in an hour or so." Phil sets his glass down and tosses his used napkin on his plate, sitting himself up in the chair he's in._ _

__"That's fine, I can leave in like, a couple minutes. I only brought clothes." Dan's hands move to the table and he pushes himself up only to stop when Phil says so, his eyebrows raising._ _

__"No! That's.. not it at all. I wanted to know if you'd, uh. If you'd like to go with me? We can hang out there. Like, with my brother? And we'll come back tomorrow night." Phil's eyes look hopeful, like a kid who's asking to get ice cream on their way home from dinner. Dan can still see some semblance of innocence and grace in him and it's almost intriguing._ _

__It's also a free trip to a large city where anything goes and a lot of pretty guys and girls live._ _

__"Sure, I guess." Dan shrugs, letting himself flop back down into the chair. "I get the window seat."_ _

__The smile Phil gives is startling. He lets out a soft laugh with his teeth sinking into his teeth but nods excitedly. "Of course! I can't wait to tell him. I'm gonna go start packing and we can head over and get your ticket!"_ _

__Dan's a bit concerned with Phil's expression. It's not the same as before, with his shy self. He shows more confidence with a slight twinge of consistency. Before, his words would lead off, letting whoever was talking to him pick up the conversation. Now, this boy states his intentions and does them._ _

__Dan may not feel emotions but he can sense a shift, a change in composure. It won't last long because he'll be gone for good as soon as he steps foot in London, but it's strange to watch these beings adapt and make mistakes._ _

__Sometimes, their mistakes make up their destiny one way or another._ _

__\--_ _

__

__They get to the train station at noon and get in line for Dan's ticket._ _

__If he really wanted to, he could blink and be there. Be in the center of the city. However, the gesture of Phil paying for the expensive ticket and making sure to get them seated together just gives Dan that high that keeps him still sticking around._ _

__Phil will give him little touches, brush their hands together and sneak sweet cheek kisses which Dan just rolls with, the feeling of others looking upon them just another plus to this weird predicament he's found himself in._ _

__Phil will talk quietly with him, making sure nobody else is listening but just Dan. He talks about his brother, what he's like. ("He's like a nerdy James Bond.") He talks about his brother's job and how cool it is he works in London with barely any college experience._ _

__It all makes Dan tired. This isn't what he's here for. London cannot come fast enough._ _

__Phil doesn't seem to notice Dan's completely uninterested and it's making it all worse. Had he seen the unenthusiastic replies or heard the one worded replies, it would have ended and Dan would have himself another person, another thing to drive the energy out of. Phil seems to be in a daze, though. His giggles, smiles, and gentle touches, they're just too much and Dan's itching to get away from them. Almost._ _

__Phil still is giving off energy. He's still got a lot more left in him. He's still willing and Dan can't deny that it's so good. He's young, he's smart, he's willing. By now, people would have thrown him back out in the street where he comes from._ _

__So Dan stays, wrapped around Phil's pinky finger for the time being._ _

__He stays there the whole ride long, responding on time when Phil talks to him. He gives short answers, not thinking much about what comes out of his mouth. He's curled himself up in the seat against the window with his head resting against it. Phil's sat next to him, his fingers reaching to brush at Dan's legs. The touches keep him there, grounded and in the middle of loving and hating it._ _

__"I was thinking." Phil says while raising his head up to hook it against Dan's shoulder, looking across his cheek and jaw. He smiles when Dan turns his head to glance at him. He gives a small nod, a motion that he's maybe listening._ _

__"Don't you have somebody to tell where you're going? Like, your ex? Or like, your mum?" Phil's fingers randomly play with the string that's fraying from Dan's jacket already, threading his fingers through it one by one._ _

__"No. My ex doesn't care and I haven't talked to my mom in ages." He's not wrong. He then sees the face of worry that spreads across Phil's face and he's frowning at him._ _

__"Why haven't you talked to her? Did you like, have a fight or something?" His fingers untangle from the thread so they can touch on his arm, stroking across the material of the jacket. His fingers curl a little to squeeze at his arm like some type of comfort ritual._ _

__"No, she just doesn't like me. It's fine, I don't really like me either." Dan just shrugs, lying in the face of the innocent boy in front of him._ _

__Like clockwork, the conversation switches. A complete 180. Turns into a whole other string of emotions, and words. Phil's jaw drops a little while his eyebrows furrow and he can't fucking believe it._ _

__"That's insane. How can you not like yourself? You're… really something else, Dan. You're extremely beautiful and funny and smart." Phil rambles on._ _

__Dan has to bite back the smile he so badly wants to put on but he has to keep his composure._ _

__Phil goes on for at least an hour, and it's not like Dan is going to complain about the praise he gets and soaks in. It's like taking a bath in all the compliments in the world and doing almost nothing for them in return. He simply breathes, and Phil's at his feet, yapping and chatting about Dan this and Dan that and whatever Dan wants to hear about himself, Phil's there asking how loud he needs to hear it to be satisfied._ _

__Phil goes through all types of words, phrases. Kid was apparently an English major, read twenty books in 5 months. He knows a lot of words. He knows a lot of good words that make Dan feel warm under his gaze and soft beneath his touch on his arm. Dan would probably melt himself into the chair had he not be in public, had he not have to actually pay attention to what Phil said to understand._ _

__Phil gets tired towards the end of their journey, his brain trying to figure out more praises for Dan who looks no more happier than he did before. Dan keeps the soft, small down-turn of his lips so Phil keeps going._ _

__Phil feels like he's already failing at a relationship they haven't quite started yet. He doesn't say anything, though, because his words should be really there to make Dan feel better._ _

__"Dan.." He says softly. "You're really special to me." He finally says, eyes looking up to his little frown. "And I just hope you know that I mean all the things I say about you."_ _

__Dan, bored and tired, and ready to leave the train, just hums. "I know."_ _

__Apparently, it was the right thing to say, because Phil finally shuts up and lays his head back against the seat he's sat in._ _

__\--_ _

__Stepping out of the train station into the city of London is unsettling._ _

__The city is lovely, old buildings sprung up with larger and newer ones curving around the history that's set in the stone. The people weave in and out of each other and they're all apathetic to each other, to what's going on with others._ _

__Dan likes that, at the least. People don't care about each other here, they don't worry. City life is independent, it's freeing. Something Dan also likes._ _

__However, his presence is matched with something here that looms over the city in a much larger way. He can sense something, hidden behind the stone walls that rise up over his head. He can barely smell a hint of sulfur seeping in through the cracks. He can sense the heat from the fire that burns at the core of this city and he's itching to find what makes such a strong feeling envelope him._ _

__He's brought back to the reality he faces at the moment though when Phil touches on his arm. "C'mon, we gotta catch the tube!"_ _

__Dan cranes his neck around to look at Phil and he's smiling and Dan can figure this mystery out later._ _

__They walk, bags in hands, down the side walk. Phil rambles on about his brother, and his girlfriend, and their flat, and their dog, and how nice London is but Dan can't help but notice the feeling gets lesser the more they walk._ _

__The more the feeling goes, the more he can slowly pick up on energies around him. A lot of babies in London at the moment, he thinks to himself. The fresh energy, the newness of life, the easy thought process of a child. They stay that way until they're about 8, really. And since Dan on Earth looks he's about 18, he doesn't scare them easily._ _

__Older people are the same. They love a cute young man, one that can help them across the street or help them grab the item from the top shelf in the store. They have a different type of energy, it's raw and used. Their souls are full of experiences, but most of them still stay wholesome._ _

__People like Phil, they're hard to come by. Most are found in larger cities where the bustle of life takes over and out shines the responsibility of regular church attendance. He can sense them as well, picking up random energies as they make it past tons of people walking around the underground._ _

__One there, a few there, one sitting across from them, two in the next cart._ _

__It makes Dan forget about whatever it was Phil was going on about, but more importantly, that odd feeling. He smiles at women, helping one pick up something she dropped. She just grins and thanks him before they're walking away, onto the tube._ _

__He sees another, a man, who looks to be the same age as Phil. His hair sticks up a bit where it quiffs out and he's got ear buds in but the moment he looks up, Dan's got a smile out for him, glancing across his eyes. The guy smiles back and raises his head up in a nod, a motion to him that notifies a "Hey" so Dan takes it, winking across at him._ _

__They go back and forth like that, with Dan even wiggling his fingers towards him in a tiny wave._ _

__It stops quickly, though, because Phil is bouncing out of his seat as soon as the train stops and he's getting towards the doors. Dan almost misses it, but he glances up to Phil halfway out the door and he's following on his footsteps. He's not sure why, but he for once, is following. It's not his most ideal way to be spending time in this reality, but here he is._ _

__"My brother's place is just right up here!" Phil exclaims while smiling up into the sunlight, looking around the city streets. Dan acts like he acknowledges what he just said but instead, glances around his surroundings._ _

__They come up to a taller building and Phil's pressing at the panel at the side of the door where there's a bunch of buttons. Dan's only conscious enough to see him pressing the button third from the top and he hears a crackled voice over an intercom. Phil replies back happily, something about "down" and they're busting through the doors a moment later._ _

__\--_ _

__Somehow, they make it upstairs, the fog of boredom and annoyance growing more and more around Dan to the point he doesn't know what they're even doing anymore. Phil bounces in place, his hands tugging on the sleeves of his jacket. Dan wonders if his brother is cute._ _

__The door opens and it's not his brother, but a shorter woman with bright red hair and even brighter green eyes that pop out against the soft white skin. She smiles big, across her entire face before looking up between the both of them._ _

__If Dan had saliva glands, they'd be watering right now._ _

__Her frame is small, but she has curves that go on for a while down her body, shaping her perfectly._ _

__She also doesn't seem to notice the way Dan looks at her like he hasn't eaten for a year and she's food served on a silver platter with the way she jumps for Phil and excitedly throws her arms around his shoulders, hugging him standing on her tippy toes._ _

__"Phil! How are you?" She asks while letting her arms detach from around his neck, her hands resting on his shoulders to squeeze them gently._ _

__He smiles back bright, like they're feeding off each other's energy. "I'm good! I'm happy to be here!"_ _

__A switch in attention happens and they're both looking at Dan who can do nothing but raise his eyebrows and give a small wave. "Hi."_ _

__"Hi! You must be Dan?" Her eyes light up with the way she says his name and looks between the both of them, Phil nodding when she gets to him._ _

__"Yeah." He says and gives a half smile to her._ _

__"So nice to meet you! I'm Cornelia!"_ _

__A funky name for a funky head of hair and big eyes. She smiled, her eyes crinkling with the stretch and she held out her hand for Dan to shake it and he did, nodding at her._ _

__"Come in, come in! I was just doing some cleaning up. Do you boys want anything to drink?" She spoke happily as she turned herself away from them and seemingly floating back into the door which lead into a brightly lit up living room. The couches mismatched in the most matching way and the wood floors creaked a little as she walked over them through to the door that was supposedly the kitchen._ _

__Phil asked for something, a drink probably, while Dan's eyes followed her right through the door. He watched her hips sway and the motion of her legs moving._ _

__Dan has no interest anymore in the boy next to him, who asks a question that Dan really doesn't hear because his mind can't sway from the idea of sinking his teeth into the skin of the redhead in the next room._ _

__She's got a boyfriend, Phil's older brother, but has that ever really stopped Dan before?_ _

__She comes back in and Dan's on her again, smiling brightly. She of course, smiles back happily and sets two drinks down in front of them before sitting herself towards the end of the couch in a seat next to the coffee table setting there._ _

__"This good?" She asks, and Dan nods instantly, sitting himself up._ _

__Phil scoffs, reaching for his drink. "He'll answer for you, but not me. I've been trying to talk to you since we got in."_ _

__Dan barely glances up before shrugging a little. "I get distracted easily." He grins and takes a sip of the juice on the table she brought. It's a bit tangy but good, sweet. It looks like blood in the glass and Dan swirls it a little._ _

__"It's not wine." Cornelia chirps in, lips keeping a straight line to make sure not to laugh._ _

__Dan, being Dan, flirts back. "Still tastes good. Thank you."_ _

__He can put on a persona, a look, as long as he's getting what he wants in the end. He can be endearing, polite, and gentle especially with this 10 in front of him._ _

__She laughs, hand raising to flop her fingers through her messy curls. "It's some of Phil's favorite. We keep it just for him when he comes over, it's like he's our child."_ _

__"Hey!" Phil's eyebrows furrow at her. He ducks down in on himself a little and turns to face Dan, trying to hide in him somehow._ _

__They all laugh, though, even Dan, biting at his bottom lip a little while listening to her talk. He keeps sipping the sweet nectar while Phil and her go back and forth, telling small stories, filling the gaps of their memories with mindless talk and chatter._ _

__Phil touches Dan, stroking at his leg when his hand falls to his thigh, letting his thumb make random patterns. He sneaks little kisses when Cornelia goes for another drink refill and it's nice, but his eyes can't lose her strut she does back and forth from the doorway. It's intoxicating, again, having such beauty in front of him with the hardline attention and the mewling boy next to him, talking lightly in his ear._ _

__Phil is touchy, and Dan's sure that both Cornelia and his brother, who should be here soon, know that. So it's not weird that he's like this, nuzzling into Dan's shoulder and smiling while his head rests there when she comes back._ _

__Dan just hopes it sends a different message than Phil hopes it does. Dan's hoping she sees that she could have this too, have Dan all to herself with no strings._ _

__

__Phil just hopes people see that it's real._ _

__\--_ _

__

__When Phil's brother, Martyn, comes back, the mood of the entire place shifts._ _

__It's not bad, but it's not normal. There is definitely something different between the two brothers that they feed off of. Their differences are what makes them like each other so much and makes it easier to do things like this, makes it easier to be just that; siblings._ _

__There's no battle between them like Dan has seen before. It's calm, it's cool, it's crazy how two people work in harmony together like this, but it works._ _

__Martyn controls the room. Not in a demanding way, but in a way that you're always looking towards him even when he's not speaking, he's that much of an addition. He doesn't try at all, and he comes off as careful and still, but the room around him is alive with laughter and disappointed but amused sighs with the things he says._ _

__Dan decides he hates him, then and there._ _

__If Dan isn't in control of the masses, of the eyes of the room, is he even there?_ _

__It's like drowning, but nobody is going to pick you out of the water, because it's hot outside and the water is just right for them._ _

__The battle Martyn and Phil have, this internal push and shove of brotherly competitiveness, has no match for the passion Dan has to never see this man ever again. Every joke, every pun, every goofy smile grinds at the very core of him and he tries hard not to breathe fire with how annoying it is._ _

__They've had their introductions and Dan gave the most pathetic smile but Martyn returns with utter joy and compassion._ _

__He's so full of himself, Dan can smell it in their house and it's nearly smoking him out. He has to glance around when nobody else is looking to see if Lucifer is around somewhere, hidden in the corner playing a joke on him._ _

__He never sees him, though, and maybe this guy just genuinely thinks he's all that, and it's fine. Dan can bite his lip through this mess, and through this encounter, because it's all over soon._ _

__It will all come crashing to an end and Dan can walk himself out of the waves and forget about it all. Move onto another; take another life down with him._ _

__They talk, Dan just watching in the background of all their conversations. He'll chime in with nods or small agreements but it's not much. They'll brush it off as shyness, that he's an new face but really, Dan's anything but shy. He has to be in everybody's face, he has to make his presence known._ _

__He's known, though. They all know he's there, waiting and watching. You can't ignore him. He's the metaphorical elephant._ _

__Though, if Dan's the elephant, Martyn is the star._ _

__He sits, quiet and angry, and just watches them talk, watches them pick through food and drink more of the delicious red liquid the beautiful girl offered them earlier. Martyn goes for another round of them and this time Dan says no, shaking his head before turning it away sternly from the older gentlemen to look back at Cornelia._ _

__She's smiling and talking to Phil and she looks as sweet as ever. They've been here only a few hours, but Dan's sure whatever the bubbling inside of him is, it's because the way her lips curl up into a perfect smile and her eyes dart excitedly while talking._ _

__The show ends, though, when Public Enemy 1 returns, sitting himself up close and personal beside her. She smiles, presses a kiss against his cheek and just keeps talking._ _

__Dan wants to leave. He's bored with all of it, with every single one of them. The power struggle between both of the brothers simmers down, but there's still some type of strain as he watches Phil try and engage him in the conversation but it's just not happening. He won't let it happen._ _

__\--_ _

__It doesn't happen. They go on and on for another hour or so but Phil's yawning and so is Cornelia so they decide to call it a night. Martyn offers to clean up so everybody can go to bed and Dan wants to barf with all of this._ _

__He follows Phil, though, walking back the hallway Cornelia leads them down. She opens the door to the spare bedroom and again, follows Phil in. It's got a double bed and enough space for their things. She tells them a soft goodnight and gives a wave with a smile before closing the door behind her._ _

__Dan hates to watch her leave but let's himself fall into the bed, pressing his face against the soft duvet. It's quiet for a moment and they hear the door to her room open and close which is a sign to Phil, apparently, that it's time to talk._ _

__"Are you okay? Like, what's wrong? With me, you're like.. so talkative. But it's like you forgot how to speak?" His voice is concerned and his brows are furrowed when Dan turns his head to look up at him, his arms crossed over his chest._ _

__"I'm fine. I'm not good with new people." Dan makes the excuse for himself. Just a few more hours and the waiting and excuses are done for. He can make it._ _

__"They're nice, though. I mean, it's my brother. He's just like me, in a different body." Phil lets out a little chuckle. His fingers twist to pick at a string on his shirt and he pulls and tugs on it._ _

__Dan snorts and Phil hears it because he looks up. "What?"_ _

__"We both know that's not true. You're complete opposites." Dan hasn't moved, his face smushed into the bed._ _

__"I think I know my own brother, Dan." Phil said knowingly. He got the confused look to his face again._ _

__"If you really did know him, you'd know he wanted you to stay behind to help clean up so he could talk to you, but hey-" Dan shrugged before turning his head down to press it against the blankets. His voice was muffled. "You know him the best."_ _

__Phil's lips parted before glancing towards the door of the bedroom. Did he really? "Wait-" Phil said out loud before looking back towards Dan who wasn't paying attention anymore, face in the bed._ _

__Dan heard what he said then heard the shuffle of his feet against the carpet and the quiet sound of the door clicking open. He smirked to himself, fingers curling to grip onto the bed to push himself up as soon as he heard the door click shut._ _

__He's free._ _

__He can finally fucking leave this place. He hoists himself up off the bed and stands, looking around. No Phil. No worries._ _

__Dan glances around himself before pushing forward through the room to the window. Checking it, he can open it easily and he does, unlatching the lock and pushing it up._ _

__There's no second thoughts. There's no sorrow, or wonder. Dan hates this place, he hates Martyn and he's okay with Phil, but he's getting whiney and needy and he has a feeling it's only going to get worse very quickly._ _

__He goes feet first, holding onto the frame and lifting himself up to swing his legs out first, his butt resting on the pane that juts out. He lowers himself to get the rest of his body out of the window with nothing but his hands gripping the wood inside._ _

__Glancing down with his head out now, it's dark with nobody around. He dangles for a moment before kicking himself up off the side of the building and lets go of the window, dropping himself down into the black of the alley-way beside their building._ _

__\--_ _

__Phil walks slowly towards the kitchen where the light glares out over the darker living room area. He can hear the water running and dishes clanking against the porcelain sink and it makes him nervous for some reason._ _

__Talking to Martyn alone has never, ever been a problem for him. It's his older brother. They know everything about each other and then some._ _

__However, knowing Martyn has his own opinion about all of this, with his own thoughts on Phil's relationship status, it really makes his stomach ache._ _

__"Mar." Phil says when he steps into the kitchen and Martyn's leaning over the sink, sponge in hand. The older brother looks up and simply tosses a towel towards Phil before he's washing again._ _

__He had no hidden expression, no frown, no emotion really. He's just washing dishes. Phil doesn't know why he's sweating._ _

__With the towel in hand, Phil starts drying the plates that had stacked up. He stands near the other man, laying the dry plates across on the other counter top close to where they go back into the cabinet._ _

__For a moment, it's just the sound of the sink running and dishes being moved. Though, Martyn fills the dead space with his voice._ _

__"He doesn't like me."_ _

__"What? That's… Martyn-" Phil starts but is cut off. "He doesn't like me. It's fine, he seems nice. He just doesn't like me. Not everybody is going to like me." Martyn looks up at Phil and gives him a nonchalant shrug before returning to his dishes._ _

__Phil just nods at nothing, his eyes glancing around. "I think I'm in love with him."_ _

__"Phil." Martyn says, and it sounds just like their mum. Their mum was transported to this very spot at this moment, and her disappointment spreads through the room they stand in._ _

__The water drains down the pipes and Martyn stands there, soapy hands and tired eyes looking at his little brother._ _

__"You're not in love with him."_ _

__"You don't know that." Phil says sternly but Martyn just rolls his eyes. He looks so much like their dad when he does that, it's easily the most intimidating thing he's seen his brother do._ _

__Usually, Martyn is so calm and chill with everything. He's great with everybody. He likes everybody. He probably likes Dan a lot, even though Dan apparently doesn't like him back._ _

__"I like him a lot, Phil, I do. He seems cool. He's shy but like, who isn't when you're meeting new people? I'm sure he'll come around. But you're not in love with him, that's just… Impossible." Martyn rattles on while finishing up. The last dish settles on the table and he turns the tap off. "You've known him for like, what, a month?"_ _

__"Two days." Phil says and the air between them stills. It's quiet for a moment that lasts way too long._ _

__"Yeah, I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that." Martyn says to the plates before he grabs his own towel and starts drying them alongside Phil. They both work on the dishes and finish them in a few minutes and get them put away._ _

__Phil feels stupid, he feels lesser. For once, he really feels like a little brother. A dumb one that's made a mistake and needs help. He doesn't feel wrong, though. Dan is somebody that took him by storm and made him think completely different about himself, and Dan has turned him upside down and around with feelings._ _

__It has to be love._ _

__Lust just doesn't feel like this._ _

__"But I said it." Phil finally says out of the blue and Martyn pays no attention, keeping his face on the plates._ _

__"This feels different. This feels so strong and so… intoxicating, I feel like I'm floating when I'm around him. Yeah, he's quiet and he's kind of weird, but that's what I enjoy the most about him. He's not trying to be something he's not. He's honest, and really sweet sometimes."_ _

__Martyn sighs out midway through Phil's rant and he finally looks up at Phil, letting his hips slack back so he's leaning against the edge of the counter top. He flings the towel up over his shoulder and just watches Phil for a moment. Phil keeps his head up, keeps eye contact, keeps himself from freaking out. This is him being real._ _

__"Prove me wrong." Martyn says and that's the end of it. Phil lets his guard down again, and his breathing evens out after holding it in. It's not much but it's so much more than Martyn hating him completely. It's more than him throwing them out with no more than a second glance. It's more than Phil could ask for so he's smiling a little, and he nods just a bit before crossing the space to the other counter top so he can help put things away._ _

__Martyn somewhat approves of this, of his relationship and his heart. His chest warms a little with the feeling that this is the start of something really beautiful, something he thought he would never have before. His whole body feels light, just like it does when he's with him, and he can't help but bite down on his bottom lip to conceal the smile that wants to spread so big across his face. He just can't help the way it all falls on him. It's so much all at once._ _

__"Weirdo." Martyn says when he catches Phil smiling to himself and it only makes him grin bigger. There was no malice behind it, just a brotherly jab and it makes it that much better. They're already back to normal and Phil reaches out to push at his shoulder._ _

__"Don't make me remind you about how you acted after your first date with Cornelia."_ _

__"That's completely different!" Martyn's calling out and it's all laughter and grins now, shoulders bouncing with heads falling back. They're both sharing grins and shaking heads before laughing in between their banter and jabs at each other, making fun of past memories._ _

__It feels really good, it feels right. Phil really can't wait to go back to share with Dan about their talk, and about what this means for them. His skin itches a little to run back to him, see him. But, it's not every day he gets a moment like this with Martyn so he stays. He'll make it up to Dan, he tells himself._ _

__They go back and forth at each other for what seems like only a few moments but it turns into an hour. They only know so because Cornelia is back out into the living area, rubbing her eyes._ _

__"Are you coming to bed or not?" She asks, hip bumping her way against Martyn. He nods to her and bumps her back, her laugh soft. He kisses lightly on her forehead and it makes Phil's brain light up bright with nothing but Dan. He wants to do all those kinds of things with him._ _

__He wants him coming out, asking him if he's coming to bed. He wants soft kisses and hugs and shared giggles. It all seems so perfect._ _

__"Where's Dan? I thought he was out here with you lot." She asks, yawning big while tilting her head into the crook of Martyn's armpit._ _

__Phil shakes his head and tosses the towel down. "No, he's in the room. Probably asleep."_ _

__Cornelia's face makes his stomach twist a little bit. "He's not in there. I just went in to give you guys extra blankets and it was empty."_ _

__Phil looks from her to his brother who looks back at him the same way, eyebrows raised and confused. Phil's chest feels weird and he's swallowing down big gulps, glancing out to the door._ _

__"He didn't leave? We would have heard him open the door." Phil says, his mouth going dry after the first word._ _

__"Yeah." Martyn agrees before they're all getting out of the kitchen. Phil goes first, glancing around the living room. Martyn follows while Cornelia comes last, arms crossed over her chest. They head for the bedroom, Phil holding his breath._ _

__He opens the door, and just as Cornelia had said, Dan's gone. His bag still sits on the floor next to Phil's and the place where he laid on the bed is a bit messed up but that's all the sign of life that lingers in the room._ _

__"Where is he?" Phil asks himself, eyebrows doing their furrowing again. He looks back at the both of them and they're just as confused and at a loss for words, glancing between the both of them._ _

__"I.. I don't know. He's not in the bathroom, I just went." Cornelia says softly before glancing back out into the hallway._ _

__When a breeze rushes in throughout the room, Phil glances up to see where it came from only to see the open window on the other side of the room. His eyes widen and be rushes towards it._ _

__"No!" He says before sticking his head out the window and glancing down at the pitch black ground, his head and heart draining of any feeling left inside of them._ _

__\--_ _

__Dan forgets that cities everywhere never really die down at night._ _

__He walks the streets, hands in pockets, passing by drunk groups and vendors all over trying to sell him things. He swerves and moves and doges anybody he doesn't want to talk to, doesn't have the time for._ _

__He's searching again, already, for another one. One that'll make it happen quick rather than drag him around like some dog toy. He thinks to himself maybe a hooker, but it's probably too late tonight to pick one up with most of them already having their meetings in place._ _

__So, he keeps walking. With his head down, he can still sense those around him. He can still feel their power, and their sense of righteousness. Why can't the bad ones come out for fun at night so Dan can have some of his own fun, he thinks. Humans can be so boring sometimes._ _

__Dan rounds the corner of the street he's on and the force hits him like a punch to the gut. He almost falls over with how strong the pull is on him and he gasps out, like he needs to breathe. The energy wants to pump out of his chest with how powerful the grip is on him._ _

__He knows this feeling, he knows this power. But from where? It's the same one from earlier, but it's moved. It's closer than it ever had been and he can almost taste it._ _

__He was so preoccupied with humans and their mundane lives, he completely forgot about this sensation that pulls him in slowly. He lets it take him and he starts walking, following the orange glow that comes with the aura._ _

__He floats, almost literally, towards it and the closer he gets the more blinding it is. He can barely see where he's going, it's so much, but he comes across a club. Music blasts from inside and the lights, purples and reds, flash outside as the door in the front opens and closes._ _

__It's in there._ _

__Dan looks down over himself and his t-shirt and jeans and says fuck it, and lets himself enter the club. The music grinds your ears and your heartbeat takes shape of whatever beat is blaring all around you. Your eyes hurt instantly, with lights of every color and wave length showing all around you. People shove and push, with empty apologies after, but it's nothing compared to the ringing that's inside of him when he enters._ _

__The aura that was once strong gets overbearing and he's angry with how pulsating it is. His temple feels like it could explode if he gets any closer and he wishes he was anywhere but here right now._ _

__He pushes through, sliding past girls in barely anythings with guys following them, giving Dan dirty looks and questionable glances, some of them cute themselves, before he finds the stairs to the upstairs lounge area. From what he can see, it's less hectic and more relaxed so he ascends happily, practically begging to be released from the downstairs mosh pit._ _

__When he gets to the top step, the ringing gets louder and harder, tearing through the flesh of his head and imbedding into his skin. It's so loud yet so far away, he's not sure how much longer it can go on._ _

__He has to keep it cool, though, so he keeps walking and searching for it. The source of this frequency that's driving him insane. It scratches at the back of his eyes and screeches at him to go forward._ _

__His palms are on fire and he sees nothing but red when he finally makes it to the source of this horrible feeling, this burning._ _

__Dan almost throws up when he comes upon him, sitting comfortably in a black leather chair. He can't process the anger inside of him that courses up from his feet through his bloodstream and into his head that pounds with pure hatred._ _

__The suited individual sits quietly amongst others like him. However, he's nothing like them._ _

__His hair curls and flops over his head just like Dan's and his one ankle rests at his knee with his one hand resting on it. The other dangles over the back of his chair while his arm rests there, propping him up in his seat._ _

__Around him, other men sit, suited and tied. The tables in front of them are littered with drinks and lines, notes thrown around like it's paper. Some of the dancers, the ones downstairs they have up in cages, dance around them except him. He sits off to the side, watching them quietly._ _

__They think they're friends, they think they're buddies and have similar interests._ _

__He's just here to make sure they all want what they can't have._ _

__Jerry, the big bald guy wants Kevin's wife, Ashely, and her brand new boob job. Kevin and Jon want Jerry's 300k pound raise he got from corporate. Brad, the blond new guy, wants all the respect he can get from these burnt out business men. He wants a sports car, a big house, and a ditsy wife just so he can say he's living the dream only to divorce her after two years because she won't stop spending money on her side man._ _

__He makes it all happen. The jealousy, the want, the envy._ _

__He looks up, in his suit, and his curls, and it's literally like looking in a mirror._ _

__"Guess who finally made it to the party." He says, and none of the guys around him hear him, or listen, but Dan does. Dan hears it all. He hears the screams of what these men want and when they want it and how they're going to get it. There's others, more of them, the ones they all work with. They're everywhere. Everybody wants something they don't have._ _

__Even Dan._ _

__"Why are you here?" He spits out. "And what the fuck are you doing?"_ _

__"Uh, my job?" The form in front of him shifts; for a split second, if you blinked, you wouldn't have seen the pink skin bubble up and melt into blood red. He smirked, big and wide while Dan heard the screams of thousands. It was gone as soon as it started and the people around him had no idea what was going on in front of them._ _

__Inside Dan, he wasn't sure who to be more angry at. Satan, or this sorry excuse of an angel in front of him._ _

__His skin glimmers under the lights that change above them; green, purple, red. His fingers wrap around another bill, shoving it towards his "friends" and they take it greedily, shoving it in every inch of the dancer's g-string that walks by._ _

__By the time Dan looks between all of them and the woman, he's up in his face, barely inches from him. He's a bit shorter, but the same build. His eyes look directly into Dan's and they see everything and nothing past them._ _

__"Who sent you?" Dan speaks low, not breaking their contact._ _

__"Who do you think? No matter how much you beg and plead for him to think of you as anything more than what you are, I'll always be on top." His voice stings inside of Dan's ears and it makes his whole body rattle with rage._ _

__"Fuck you. I'm older than you. I was there first." Dan hisses, his hands coming to grip at the front of his suit. He pushes him only to roughly tug him back against his own chest. "You're nothing without me. People lust for money, fame, fortune, everything. They need me to have you."_ _

__His face scrunches up in a giggle and his head falls back as he laughs to himself._ _

__Dan's not laughing and he only pulls him closer, his hand coming to reach up and his fingers slide across his neck, squeezing roughly and quick. He makes sure to dig his nails into the fake skin, digging and seething as the blood slowly drips down his own fingers._ _

__The body in question only squirms a little bit but continues laughing, harder even. He grins bright and his own hands come to grip at Dan's arm that strangles at his throat. He makes an effort to get him to stop, and struggles a little bit. Like he's hurting._ _

__"Asmodeus.." He chokes out. "Dan." The voice is soft, almost childlike. For a moment if for just a second, Dan remembers being in another worldly setting. He remembers being somewhere in between immortal and heavenly. The voice reminds him of that simpler time._ _

__"Dan.." He says again, his mouth parted open. He chokes out a little and Dan lets go of his neck slightly, the blood now dripping down Dan's arm staining his shirt. The other man scratches at his arms trying to get free while his legs dangle just a little with how Dan's holding him up._ _

__"Beezle…" Dan mutters. "Adrian."_ _

__Adrian's eyes softened the more Dan let go of his neck, both of their eyes never losing contact. They weren't saying much but their faces said a lot to each other. They weren't necessarily feeling the emotion between each other, but an afterthought of it. The ghost of some emotion they once shared._ _

__Dan dropped Adrian, letting his feet touch on the floor again and his throat was bruised from the force Dan had on it but he was still breathing normally. The slits in his neck healed instantly and the blood dried along his collar as they both simply just looked longingly at each other for what seemed like centuries._ _

__Adrian lets out a little laugh finally, his eyes looking down at the ground after breaking eye contact. He reaches up to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth. Dan followed his laughter and let out a small chuckle, his bloodied hands reaching up to scratch at his own neck._ _

__"I was sent on a mission just as you were." Adrian finally speaks up. "We both have jobs to do, y'know." When he spoke, Dan could see his bloodied teeth from what he coughed up while being choked._ _

__"I know." Dan said knowingly. "I'm just playing a game with these little minions." He flashed his own teeth when he grinned towards his little brother._ _

__"You're right, you're right." Adrian said reasonably, nodding up to Dan. He paused for a moment, glancing back behind him to the guys who were still acting like nothing had happened right in front of them. They were under the trance of Adrian. He makes them like that. He forces them to surrender under him. It's why he's on top._ _

__Dan knows this, but Dan also believes he's on top. Lust is written, coded in every other member of this seven. A lust for money, for food, for rest, for revenge, for rewards, for life._ _

__They seem to forget about him, lost in the sexuality of his work. He recruits more than Belphegor and Abaddon does, that's for fucking sure. Yet, he's belittled and written off as just another little incubus sometimes. Just another pleasure intake. The whore of whores._ _

__Adrian is a part of him. They come from one in the same. They come from the same energy, the same light. They fell together, they belong together. Brothers for eternity._ _

__Dan knows as Adrian knows and the same the other way around._ _

__"My brother." Adrian starts, his eyes darting back up to Dan. "We're one in the same."_ _

__"Forever and always." Dan says softly._ _

__"Smitten to the depths of everlasting suffering and torment, splattered across an eternity of pain, suffering, and eternal damnation of the fallen souls." They both repeat to each other softly, under their breath. The word of God._ _

__"I know you inside and out, and I know how you play with your minions." Adrian says flatly. He doesn't move and keeps the same face, gazing up at Dan. "As you know I do mine."_ _

__Dan nods, his brother's face shifting slightly. He pays it no attention._ _

__"Well, it was my turn to play."_ _

__Before any blink, before any breath or heartbeat, before the world could take its next, Adrian was on Dan._ _

__Dan feels nothing, then the sharp pain splitting through his entire self. His mouth goes slack and then he coughs, once, twice, with blood spitting up all over the white shirt he can see in front of him._ _

__Adrian splits his lower abdomen in half, his arm completely through him, elbow deep._ _

__The sound of guts spewing out catches the attention of the surrounding people and they're screaming, deafening in Dan's ear, completely white._ _

__Dan looks down over Adrian covered in his blood, in his essence. He looks down and sees his skin broken open, guts pulsing as Adrian twists his arm, making his entire being ache._ _

__He screams out in the worst agony, his head falling back while he coughs up more blood from his lungs._ _

__The men behind Adrian are screaming, yelling, asking what and why and how._ _

__"Because." Adrian says calmly. "I'm on top."_ _

__He rips his arm from Dan's abdomen, making most of his insides spill out across the floor with more screaming and running. Dan can hear police sirens, he can hear people calling and yelling, he can hear Adrian laughing and the woosh of air and he's gone._ _

__Dan can hear his own heart beat from the whole in his body, and he can hear his stomach gurgle. He can hear everything all at once and then completely nothing._ _

__\--_ _

__It's black and then it's light again._ _

__Everything comes together and separates and then comes together again in an instant._ _

__He blinks his eyes open and his body is nothing but rage. Fire, red hot. Essentially, he's back where he comes from but not from his own will and he's not happy._ _

__Nobody would be happy if they had their guts pulled out._ _

__He climbs himself up, though, through the fire and rocks and he comes to where they're all surrounding each other, talking and conversing. They're all there, except for Beezlebub, for a first time and a long time, and the fires continue on around them._ _

__The screams become familiar after only being there a moment, and the moans feel like home._ _

__However, the giant hole in the middle of his body is still there for effect and it feels like pure agony and pain. Something Dan's used to._ _

__"You!" He screams as he finally lands on his feet, wings out and flapping heavily. They're wide, causing wind to distract all of them from their little pow-wow._ _

__"You did this!" He screams again, voice screeching out._ _

__Satan pauses and turns himself around, looking at the broken down Asmodeus. His ripped intestine drags along the ground as he stumbles forward, teeth and fangs bared out for all of them to see._ _

__The rest of them back up while Lucifer stays near, watching this soon to be battle flare up. His eyes never leave Asmodeus and his broken body._ _

__"What did I do?" Satan speaks, his own wings flaring out. His were larger, more intricate. They had faces decorated across them outlined in black, of people who fell to him and more will adorn them in years to come._ _

__"You let him out again! You told him to go and be free!" Dan cried out, his eyes bloodshot. "You let him do this to me! Your own fucking creation. I'm nothing to you, aren't I?" Dan hisses out, landing himself down with a loud thud, shaking the entire platform._ _

__Satan paused only to shake his head slightly. "You are more than what you think you are, Asmodeus. You are woven inside of us all."_ _

__"Fucking save it!" He screeched out again before lifting himself from the ground. "I'm the favorite! I'm the one you should be giving attention, and not that no good fucking know-it-al! What does he bring to the table without me!" Dan's screaming now, his large wings flapping now and letting him fly out across everybody else and over the ledge of where the platform starts._ _

__"I'm the one you blessed with the beautiful lust and you ignore me!" Dan hissed out, hovering above Satan who still stands on the ground._ _

__Satan nods, looking down to the ground he stands on and signs out. "You are right, my Asmodeus. I'm sorry I give him more than you. His work is very important to our maintained goal, but you too, give us more than I could go without."_ _

__He finally looks up to where Dan flies above him and motions him, his fingers curling to show him to come down._ _

__Dan stays above him for a minute longer, fangs bared in anger, in mistrust before he lowers himself down, wings slowing his landing so his feet can touch in the red sand below him._ _

__He lands completely and Satan comes forward, his own hand and claws out in front of him. Before Dan can realize what he's doing, what he's going to do, the hole in Dan is closing up and his organs and non-organs reform, growing back as they once were in perfect condition._ _

__The pain never subsides, as where he is from, but it feels like he once did, able to move freely without this hole gaping inside of him._ _

__"You're fucking right you couldn't go without me." Dan says, seething a bit. His eyes are still red with pure fire behind them but his voice is back to normal, a bit higher pitched with how the anger runs through him, keeping him upright completely. "You should all bow to me with how amazing I am, you cowards."_ _

__In front of him, Satan narrows his eyes. "I wouldn't get ahead of yourself, Asmodeus."_ _

__"Oh fuck off." He growls before he lifts himself up again into the air, his wings expanding completely and flying himself up through the air. He disappears in the ash and smoke only a moment later. From the ground, the others watch in shock but at no surprise, he'll probably be back soon._ _

__\--_ _

__Phil never finds Dan._ _

__He never finds anybody like Dan._ _

__He misses him every day and every night and he really thinks that's it for him and his life with another person. He hates what he's become and how it makes him feel, knowing that he'll never find him ever again._ _

__Martyn helps him. Gets him help. Takes him to appointments with his therapist. Phil hates it. He tries to think his brain made him up or that he had one long fever dream and Dan was never real and it's his coping mechanism._ _

__Phil dreams about Dan, sometimes. Sometimes he thinks he hears his name._ _

__Phil's new apartment is haunted. He sometimes hears people whispering to him. He thinks they're Dan, talking to him, asking for him._ _

__He tells his therapist. She gives him medicine, sleeping pills. They only make him dream about more crazy things. More Dan, more Hell fire and death._ _

__Death sounds nice. At least he'd stop missing Dan._ _

__Dan never leaves his mind for more than a day._ _

__Martyn and Cornelia try to help him, try to distract him. Their fun days help, and he laughs and he grins and he has a good time but when he goes alone to his empty bed and his haunted house and his dumb mind, it's Dan he can't stop thinking about._ _

__Sometimes, at night, he'll see shadows. He'll hear his name, but it's nothing like it used to be. Dan is a fleeting memory now._ _

__One day, Phil thinks he sees him._ _

__He was eating at the window in the Starbucks just a block from his work and he hears the door ding. Without thinking, he looks up. (He likes people watching) and he sees the tuff of hair he knew too well._ _

__His breath stops and he chokes on the piece of egg sandwich he was chewing and he sips down some of his drink to stop his coughing and stop the people around him from staring._ _

__He stands up, though, asking the random girl next to him to watch his stuff for a moment, and he's weaving through the people and up to the line where he waits._ _

__He's in a waist coat and a black suit, iPhone in his hand scrolling through something._ _

__Phil's really doing this, he's really going for it._ _

__"Excuse me?" Phil says and he reaches up, tapping on the guy's shoulder._ _

__The guy looks up and then whips around to look at Phil and for a second, Phil's life flashes before his eyes. It's his hair, it's his eyes, it's his nose._ _

__It's not Dan, though._ _

__"Yeah?" The guy asks, eyebrows raising._ _

__"Sorry to bother you." Phil says. His brain isn't functioning. He's on auto pilot, or something. "I just thought you.. looked like somebody I knew a year ago or so. His name was Dan. Sorry."_ _

__The guy in front of him raises his eyebrow before smiling lightly. "Sorry, not him. Name's Adrian. Sorry to disappoint."_ _

__Phil huffs out a small breath but smiles sadly. "No, it's fine. Sorry to bother you again. Have a nice day."_ _

__He doesn't wait for a reply and just turns himself around, going back to his things. He doesn't sit down again, doesn't finish his drink or sandwich. He throws them away and packs up his things and walks out. He makes it back to his place and lets himself fall into the bed and he just sobs._ _

__His throat hurts, his entire body aches, and his mind races as he can't seem to think about anything else but the void he has in his life._ _

__Phil really considers just ending it all with one swipe, with one leap, but his therapists' number is in his phone so he texts her and tells her what happens and she talks him through it._ _

__She must think Phil is some basket case the way he loses his voice over crying so hard over this one person._ _

__His whole body rocks with another sob after he says he's fine because he's really not so he falls asleep, empty stomach with aching feeling in his lower back. Dan's all he dreams about._ _

__\--_ _

__Somewhere in between the earth and the fourth dimension, Dan grins. He's sitting, completely have forgotten about the mishaps that happened what felt like moments ago. He watches Belphegor scrub at his feet and he wiggles his toes in his face only to let out a giggle._ _

__"Keep washing. You know you love it."_ _

__"I do, your majesty." Belphegor comments and smiles up to Dan with his crooked teeth and Dan just grins, tilting his head back._ _

__"Am I your favorite?" He says out of the blue, reaching up with his hand to flick one of the smaller incubi off of his shoulder that flitters around him sometimes. It hisses but flies up away from him and up above, the other ghouls and goblins storming around up above. In the distance, away from them all, screams rain on forever._ _

__"Of course, Asmodeus. You're the most handsome and charming angel ever."_ _

__Somewhere, in their consciousness, he can hear Adrian snort and a snide comment comes through. Dan scoffs a little._ _

__"I'm beautiful too. And don't forget smart, courageous, amazing, and fantastic." Dan beams at his own words and own thoughts before throwing his head back._ _

__"You're so right." Belphegor agrees and reaches for the towel to dry Dan's feet. "I have no idea what I would do without you, gracious one."_ _

__Dan just laughs to himself. "You'd be sucking Lucy's dick to get anything done around here, or milking Mammon for any type of fun he's got. You're all lucky I'm here. I bring fun to this wasteland."_ _

__The moans grow louder after Dan says that and he grins, glancing all around him._ _

__"All those souls." Dan starts. He looks out over the edge of the precipice they sit on. "They're so lucky to live for eternal hellfire in my presence."_ _

__\--_ _

__Phil makes it out of bed after two days and he has two missed calls from work. Great. He's fired._ _

__What's the point anymore when his life is an endless struggle to keep himself contained enough to work a four hour shift and not break out in complete sobbing over his self-destruction over a person he knew for 48 hours and some?_ _

__He calls Martyn who answers with some positive words and it puts a slight smile on Phil's face, enough to get himself into the shower and clean up. He smelled pretty dank so the cucumber is very refreshing. He decides to call work after Martyn and his manager tells him to make it in by 12 today or he's fired and it's already 11:15._ _

__Throwing on his uniform and brushing his hair and straightening it, he rushes out into the city and starts walking down the road. It's busy as an normal weekday but it's nice, light and sunny. Phil would rather be out here than behind a fryer, making cheap burgers for minimum wage, but it's something to keep him in his home and it's something to support his video game addiction and his therapist meetings._ _

__He crosses the street and heads north, only a few more blocks before he's there and he really hates he has to go in today. Hopefully the sun will last longer than his shift and he can get outside and breathe in some air that isn't funneled in through a vent. His therapist recommended more fresh air._ _

__As he makes it down the street, a car passes by playing extra loud music. He doesn't care, or mind, it's a nice day and it's a busy city. People will be people._ _

__It's like time stops for Phil. The air cools a little with the wind blowing, the sun peeks out behind a passing cloud. He breathes in and he smells fresh pastries from the bakery he passes._ _

__The calm before the storm, some would say._ _

__The car passing makes the light, and waits and then goes at the green light._ _

__It all happens in slow motion._ _

__Maybe because the driver of the car wants to see this happen in real time._ _

__He didn't plan it like this, but it was something that had to be done. In all of God's plan, in all of the world divided between good and evil, there is destiny and sometimes, even the most evil, have to take God's will into play._ _

__The driver, a non-local from London takes a left turn, going and driving quickly through the intersection._ _

__Phil, admiring the air, the sun, the fresh air for the first time steps out into the crosswalk with his hands in his pockets._ _

__Everything is black for a moment. It's quiet. The air stills, the sun doesn't feel too hot on his skin._ _

__Then everything happens. The people scream, the tires screech, the world stops._ _

__At first, Phil doesn't realize what happens. He doesn't feel anything, he doesn't see anything. He's blinded by the reality that something like this could actually happen right here, right now. He's asked so many times and it finally did._ _

__The car hits him dead on, bumper to bone. It crushes most of his under the car and he spits up blood along the street._ _

__He passes out on impact but comes to when he feels the touch of a woman on his head. She's got brown hair and a soft voice and she's telling him that everything will be alright. He's still not sure what happened but she tells him to keep looking at her. Blood starts to seep out from underneath the car._ _

__When Phil finally feels it, he's screaming out loudly. Tears roll down his cheeks and mix with the dirt that's all over his face. The driver of the car already called the emergency vehicles to come._ _

__It's blood red. It's all red, pain, agony._ _

__The passenger of the car steps out of the vehicle and he's in a nice suit and tie. His hair curls up and it's fluffy on top of his head. He steps in the blood that spills across the ground and groans out._ _

__"Fuck, these are new shoes."_ _

__Adrian comes around to glance at the mangled body below the car while the driver, a person he works with, freaks out. He's so sorry, he should have been paying attention more, he has no idea how this happened._ _

__"Fucking save it, Frank. You had one too many whiskies at lunch today." Adrian spits out and the people around them gasp a little. They don't get too close but they're close enough to see it all unfold._ _

__Phil can hear it all but he can't see it. His vision is completely white and it's hard to keep his eyes open but the nice brown haired lady keeps talking to him and he's going to be fine._ _

__Hopefully he doesn't get fired._ _

__The emergency people come and so do the police and it's complete chaos. They set up barriers so nobody else can see what happens, and the woman is gone now. She was escorted away._ _

__Adrian watches, his face blank. He glances around like this is a boring TV show and he's waiting for the next episode to start up._ _

__Phil, and his broken legs, and his broken body and his broken mind are lifted into an ambulance and it's really quiet. Eerily quiet. He has nothing to say, nothing to ask. The adrenaline has kicked in and he feels barely any pain other than complete and total numbness. He's in shock, and the nurse tells him that, that's why he can't really move his head or his arms or anything except for his eyes. They bug out, looking everywhere._ _

__He hears the police sirens and the ambulance sirens and it's lulling him away into some pain induced coma._ _

__When he looks up again, he swears he sees a man in a suit sitting next to him. The one with the tuffled hair who got out of the car. On his other side, he sees the woman who was stroking his hair. Her eyes look so concerned._ _

__"Help." He says to her, softly. He can barely speak._ _

__"I will, child." She says gently and he's slipping away. The man on the other side of him sighs and he's brought out of whatever weird dream he's having because they're shocking his chest._ _

__He jerks back away._ _

__"We've got him!" One of the workers says and they're not there anymore._ _

__\--_ _

__When something happens to a mortal that has been interfered with the works of God or the Devil, they can sense it. They feel it immensely. It burns in their chest like a longing. They must know what's going on with their work, their mission._ _

__Dan would know about the situation going on, and who is involved, and who is there now but he's got other plans. He's got better things to be doing than worrying about mortals when he's so bored underground in this hell hole, literally._ _

__Lucifer is boring, doesn't care about anything but himself but he's still kind of hot so Dan's been trying to fuck him for centuries. Belpheor is asleep, as usual. So is Abaddon, and Dan's bored._ _

__The urge to seek attention is stronger than anything right now, and he really needs it. It's like feeling your stomach growl for food but the only thing to satiated the feeling is somebody or something actively giving you affection. Somebody lusting after him is all he needs and wants but the effort it takes to actually go up to Earth and find some whore or some buff dumbass to give in is way too much for his energy level._ _

__So he lounges, his feet dangling over the edge of the rock he sits on being warmed by the fires below him. He eats grapes, tasting sweet and delicious. He watches as the other little worker ghouls and no-names fly around above him and below him, doing the duties they're destined to do for eternity._ _

__He's jerked back into reality when Satan is behind him._ _

__"Asmodeus. Beezlebub is calling for you. He needs you."_ _

__Dan smirks before laughing out. He doesn't look back. "He does? That's funny."_ _

__"It's concerning one of your disciples. They've been injured and it's your time."_ _

__Dan can feel that surging feeling. Adrian has been asking for him for a while._ _

__Groaning, he gets up and with nothing else to say he opens his wings and flaps them once, throwing himself down over the cliff and he's gone._ _

__\--_ _

__Phil's lost a lot of blood._ _

__He's on the hospital bed and he's still in a trance. His eyes dart back and forth, watching the workers looking over him and figuring out how to deal with his legs. Well, what is left of them._ _

__The x-ray machine shows there's nothing much to work with. Amputating is the best option. They're working on those things and he hears the beeping and the rushed talking and the annoying click of his heartbeat on the screen._ _

__"Phil, how are you?" The woman asks. She's over his shoulder, cupping at the top of his head. She strokes across his hair easily._ _

__"Fine. I don't really feel anything." He says. "I'm just scared."_ _

__"I know, darling. Fear not, you will stay strong."_ _

__"Oh fucking cut through the bullshit already. I'm ready to do my part since my counterpart isn't here to deal with his own problems." Suit guy exclaims and the woman winces a little._ _

__"Do not scare him." She says gently._ _

__"We both know the decision that's going to happen." The guy looks familiar._ _

__"I met you in Starbucks." Phil says, blinking up at Adrian. "You… you look like this guy I loved."_ _

__Adrian just rolls his eyes and grips at the edge of the bed. The woman keeps stroking at Phil's hair._ _

__"Phil, do you remember when you were a child and your parents always told you to pick up your toys? And sometimes you did? And sometimes you didn't?" The woman asked and Phil nods up to her._ _

__"Phil, remember when you and your brother went on that illegal porn website at around.. uhhh, 15 and 16 and watched those videos?" The suit guy says. Phil's eyes grow a little wider._ _

__"How… how do you know that?" He's a bit shocked and he can move finally, his legs normal. He's trying to reach for them to ground himself but he's suddenly not on the hospital bed anymore._ _

__"I know everything." Adrian says before smirking._ _

__Phil looks forward._ _

__Dan's standing there, his arms crossed. He's wearing what Phil last saw him in._ _

__"Dan!" Phil screams and he's running forward, pushing past the other two but he doesn't move. He keeps trying to move forward, get closer to Dan, to him but he gets nowhere._ _

__"Dan, please help me. These people are so weird. I just wanna go home, please. Come with me, Dan, please." Phil's begging._ _

__"Ah, fuck." Dan says when he looks at the three of them. "I'm not doing this. Why are you here?" He hisses at Adrian._ _

__"Hey, I'm just here to deal with your little mess." He raises his eyebrow. "Maybe if you listened once in a while."_ _

__"Dan?" Phil asks sadly, frowning. "Please? I need you."_ _

__Dan smirks at that but comes forward. "You need to calm down."_ _

__Phil nods, swallowing down nervously. He glances between Adrian and this random woman._ _

__"So, do we have the deed?" Dan asks and the woman nods and turns to her little brown purse. She takes out a piece of white paper and then looks directly towards Phil._ _

__"Philip Michael Lester. Born in on the day of our Lord January 30th, 1987."_ _

__Phil's eyebrows furrow and he's looking around. There's nothing behind them. There's nothing in front of him. The little piece of paper gets handed over to Dan and from thin air, he has a pen. He holds the piece of paper in hand and on the paper, he signs it._ _

__He smiles back at the lady before handing it back and sadly, she takes it and puts it back into her little purse._ _

__"What's going on?" Phil finally asks and Adrian just laughs, his head shaking a little. Dan smiles and gives a small wave to the woman._ _

__"It was nice seeing you again Uriel. Always a pleasure, darling." Dan says sarcastically._ _

__"Dan?" Phil asks, and it's like they can't hear him. Like he's under water, drowning, and the life guard isn't doing anything to help._ _

__The woman, named Uriel, turns to Phil. "Philip, your father will always love you. You will be remembered for being strong and unique. I'm, however, not sorry, as your mistakes are your own. Your time has come."_ _

__He's confused. His brain is a jumble, is complete and absolute chaos._ _

__"My father?" Phil looks between all of them. "I don't.."_ _

__She's gone. It's just him, and Dan, and suit guy._ _

__"Dan, please tell me you're back? I'm.. I'm so sorry I acted the way I did. I really just never wanted to let you go." Phil's crying now. He reaches up to wipe his tears and he's a mess. He would get down on his knees, but he can't move his legs at all._ _

__"Phil." Dan says softly. "No worries, darling."_ _

__Phil nods, his eyes lightening up. "I'm sorry. I promise to do better if you say you're mine."_ _

__Adrian is gone already, and Phil doesn't notice._ _

__Dan smiles, sweet and genuine. "Phil, I am yours. And you're mine. You're mine for all of time. For eternity."_ _

__Phil lets out a soft gasp and he smiles the biggest he thinks he ever has. He reaches out to touch at Dan's chest but when he looks back up, it's not Dan. It's nobody._ _

__Phil looks down at himself to see nothing, either._ _

__There's nothing._ _

__Phil is completely and totally weightless._ _

__Phil's dying._ _

__His problems, his thoughts, his life is no longer his._ _

__It's slow, steady. It's like riding a boat down a stream of your life. It's like jumping out of a plane straight into the endless abyss._ _

__It's all white and there's nothing and then it's instant and constant pain._ _

__His entire soul, his entire being, everything that he is at once hurts. It's all over, stemming from the deepest part of his form to the outer most layer._ _

__The outer most layer is the first one to melt off. It sizzles directly off of him and he sees it fall into the magma below him._ _

__He's constantly screaming and it's not his own doing. His body, his soul, just naturally does that. It's screaming for relief, for freedom, but it's never going to happen._ _

__When he looks up, Dan's there, and he's smiling at him._ _

__"Dan!" He screams. "Please!"_ _

__Dan does nothing but reach out. He touches at the bloody mess that is Phil's face. His eyes are nearly gone and his hairs singed to nothingness._ _

__"You're mine for eternity." Dan says softly._ _

__Phil produces tears in what's left of his tear ducts but they dry up into little crystals and fall below them._ _

__Dan reaches down to grip at what he can of Phil. He lifts him up out of the fire and he watches the relief flood Phil's eyes. He's pleading with his entire body._ _

__"Dan, please. I'm… sorry. I love you."_ _

__With one swift and hard push from Dan, he drops Phil with a push against his chest. He falls backwards with arms and legs kicking and flailing._ _

__He falls until he hits the magma and his body slowly dissolves into nothing._ _

__Another scream, another soul, added to the list. Asmodeus, with nothing but a blink of an eye, walks away from the edge of the pit and back into the ash and smoke._ _

**Author's Note:**

> wow ok thank you for reading that tell me to stop on twitter at @domniall


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